Rocky Horror, After the Castle
by Hestia01
Summary: The infamous events of the Denton Affair draw to a close, except one revelation changes everything...
1. Chapter 1

Rocky Horror, my Continuation

By Katie "Doec"

Let me be the Narrator

Disclaimer: The Rocky Horror Picture Show is property of 20th Century Fox and Richard "God" O'Brien. This is just my two cent's worth.

Brad and Janet remain glued to the floor, frozen in shock from the multiple murders they'd just witnessed. Riff-Raff stands with his loyal sister and lover, his ray gun twitching nervously in his hand.

"Go…now!" He spits at them.

"Vait," Magenta speaks suddenly, a curious calculating expression crossing her face. "You, Majors, you requested to use our communic—telephone. It is in the hall, you may use it. Ve vill look after…" she smiles knowingly at Janet with a low chuckle. Riff-Raff looks at her questioningly; Magenta doesn't say a word more. She only flicks her eyes emphatically at Janet with an abbreviated Transylvanian salute close to the vest. He follows her lead.

"Yes, Brad, go and place your call. No harm shall come to your…companion," he assures with a sneer. Brad nods shakily, afraid to disobey the man with the gun, then totters shakily down the treacherous stairs in his stilettos. The moment he's out of sight and earshot Riff-Raff turns to Janet. "Is it really you? I thought I saw the birthmark…earlier," he refers lightly to her stripping before meeting Frank, "but Magenta seems…more than convinced," he continues cryptically. Janet stares at him, looking uncertain and confused. "You must admit, you adapted much more quickly and…" he looks her up and down significantly, "completely than your darling Brad. It is in your blood, only natural. If you still have doubts, look here." Both he and Magenta hike up their skirts of their uniforms. Just at their right hip is a light pink birthmark shot with a lightning bolt. "All Transexuals of the McKinley line bear it…as do you."

"Vhy do you think you kept fainting during the Time Warp? Unless it triggered a repressed memory?" Magenta adds, "My sister…vhat happened after ve vere separated? Ve tried for months, years, to find out vhat happened to you."

"And then…you found us. Led by fate, it would seem," Riff finishes

Janet places a hand over her own birthmark, all that she has left to identify herself as a true Transylvanian. She takes a few shaky steps closer toward them; her eyes go unfocussed as she goes into autopilot. "Our pod was ejected from the castle just before we were supposed to land. We were tracked by UFO hunters, they struck rich that day. All Dr Scott had to go on until then was a few fuzzy pictures and some static. Now he had an alien pod complete with live specimens. There was a white room…so bright. So much light, the first few days it blinded me completely. Mother tried to protect me, shield me from the light, we were so scared. No sweet refuge of the night. She kept calling…for you. Then Dr Scott…did something to us…changed us. He thought we were a threat, an invasion, and the only way to prevent us from taking over was to make us…human," she recalls with a distasteful expression. "After that, I got used to the light. They brainwashed us, gave us human names. By the time Mother and I saw each other again we barely knew who we were. It was cold…they watched us all the time," she reveals with a very lucid expression, discovery lighting her eyes. Janet stops short, realizing what she's been saying. She claps a hand to her mouth, suddenly frightened.

"Janus McKinley, home at last," Riff-Raff declares. "It's true, you're one of us."

She nods shakily, coming out of her quasi-hypnotic state. "We trusted him! He set us up, Brad and me. Is that part of his plan? Or was that just a coincidence? I don't know. Brad was my best friend since I was released. I couldn't imagine that he'd be in on it. In high school, I'd get flashbacks sometimes, I thought I was crazy but…I remember the music, the Time Warp."

Riff-Raff gives her a look that holds her attention; he holds his arms out, palms flat, Janet obediently mimics him, they press their fingers together and roll up to the elbows. He smirks at her, satisfied as she stares back in wonderment. "I can help you. There is a way to return what was taken from you. Be what you once were, what you were supposed to be."

Brad returns just in time to see Riff-Raff fire an energy bolt at Janet. Tripping in his heels, he runs up the stage, finally crawling up the stairs, his face a mask of grief and horror. Magenta guides Janet's body to the floor. "Calm yourself, Majors," she commands in clipped tones, "ve have not broken our vord. She is unharmed." She removes a strange piece of technology from a side holster of her uniform. Pausing over it for a few moments she reads the results. "It vas successful. Vhen she comes around, she should remember everything. Majors, you are free to go. The three of us are going home."

"No!" Brad cries out. He throws himself over Janet's body, shielding her from what he perceives as a threat. "I won't let you take her. What's she got to do with you? What do you mean, she'll remember everything?" This is the last straw, after all they'd been through tonight, all he wanted was to go home and forget it ever happened. Now these people from another planet are threatening to take his beloved away. He'd failed her, he couldn't protect her from Frank-N-Furter, but damned if he'd let anyone else touch her.

Scowling at him condescendingly, Magenta reveals her mark again, showing him Janet's as well. "She is our sister. Ve are taking her home. Now, go."

Brad stands firm, "Please, I love her. Sh-she'd want to stay with me. Why can't we wait until she wakes up? She should have a choice, shouldn't she?" He looks desperately between the pair of them; Riff and Magenta exchange looks.

"I will prepare the castle for lift-off. She should awaken soon enough," Riff-Raff says, and heads for the central control room.

Brad kneels down next to his fiancée, looking baffled and weary. He stares at her, taking in everything from her heavily painted face, all the way down her legs. His eyes fall on the mark that's branded her as one of 'them' with a pang of despair. He wipes a smear of blue from her cheek with a shaky hand.

"What did he do to her?"

Magenta squats next to him, "He restored her original DNA. She became a victim of genetic manipulations after ve landed. Your friend mutilated her at atomic levels, but my brother has healed her at last. She may be…different than you remember vhen she vakes up.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Same as before. Fox and RO'B own it, I don't. I am simply his…servant.

"She's really an alien? Like you? Goddammit, I'm engaged to marry an alien," Brad mutters in a monotone. He is interrupted, however, by a howl of fury:

"That half-witted Neanderthal! If he wasn't already dead I'd kill him again! Magenta…!" Riff screeches, storming into the ballroom. "That artificial man-child destroyed the control room! The transit beam has been completely dismantled by that muscle-bound gorilla!" He whips out his anti-matter laser and fires on Rocky and Frank's dead bodies over and over. "Happy now, master? Are you satisfied now?? We're—stuck—on—this—rock—and it's all thanks to—you!" Magenta leaps to her feet to stop her brother's manic fit. She pries the weapon from his hand with a gentle touch, and brings his head down to her chest "Magentermylove," he mumbles into her flesh, "How will we get home now? Whatever will we do? I despise this dungeon! The thought of living here," he stamps his heel to the stage angrily, "indefinitely is unbearable." He stops his moaning as he sees his youngest sister on the floor. "Janus, how is she?"

"She hasn't voken yet, though she should soon. Her human companion calls her 'Janet', brother," Magenta reminds him. He pulls away from her embrace and stands over the young woman on the floor.

"Janet…" Riff breathes, testing the sound, "not a bad approximation," he allows. "I wonder what they would have called us. Gods, it's a wonder we ever found her. I intend to call her by her true name, unless she tells me otherwise. She's used her slave name long enough."

"Now hold it right there!" Brad argues, having heard every word they'd said, talking over him as though he wasn't even there. "I still don't know what exactly is going on here, but Janet was never a slave to anyone! I've known her since high school, nobody knew—"

"Indeed, nobody knew, not even she knew! She was forced to forget: where she came from, the fact that she had a family searching for her, forget her real name!" Riff stands abruptly, his misdirected rage centered on the only representative Earthling in the vicinity. His coming wrath is curtailed, however, by a soft noise coming from the newly reborn Transylvanian on the floor.

"Mmm…Brad? Are you there?"

Brad turns his attention back to her immediately, "I'm right here, it's all right."

Her eyelids flutter, like water-lilies on a breeze, "Oh, Brad, I'm so sorry." He takes her hand, repeating, "I'm right here. Forget it; it never happened, all right?"

Janet smiles up at him, squeezing his hand back. "I'm so tired," she whispers, "did they tell you? What I…I am?" She looks fearful, unsure what his reaction would be.

He nods, damned if he's going to let her see how bewildered he truly is. "I know. I should've known you came from the stars." She giggles softly at his flattery, relieved that he isn't afraid of her. She closes her eyes and goes back to sleep, completely exhausted. He looks from Janet, up to Riff-Raff and Magenta, weighing out all that's just been revealed to him in the space of the last few minutes. "You two can come with us, I have an extra room. You have no where else to go and by this time tomorrow Dr Scott will have this place under heavy surveillance. It wouldn't be safe."

Riff and Magenta exchange looks, "We accept. Give us a moment to collect our things."

Brad lifts Janet's body off the stage, begins carrying her down the stairs. Riff-Raff takes her head and shoulders to even the balance. "The cab should be here in about 15 minutes. You won't be able to come back here."

"Ve understand," Magenta says, giving him a look of contempt for his condescension. They get Janet to the foyer and her siblings go to pack. Each comes down the elevator with only two bags apiece. Brad wonders if their possessions are so few, or if they are merely traveling light. The cab arrives and they head for Brad's house. Once they get home, and Janet left in the care of her long-lost family, Brad changes and goes back out to find a tow truck to take the car to a garage for repairs. On the way back, he stops to pick up some of Janet's things. After what happened that night he'd feel safer keeping her close by. The very night seemed full of enemies. He gets back home, pays the cab driver and enters the house. Magenta had cleaned Janet up and laid her in Brad's bed. Thankfully she'd removed the vulgar garments Frank had dressed her in, replacing them with one of her own fur-trimmed negligees. By comparison it was a vast improvement.

"She'll need you vhen she vakes up, you know," Magenta advises him. "The sexual appetite of a Transylvanian is far greater than that of an Earthling. Until she becomes accustomed to it, she vill be unable to control herself. You must satisfy her."

Brad pulls up a chair and waits, wondering when his fiancée would awaken, and what she would be like when she did. She sleeps on past dawn, while Brad nods off in his chair at her side.

Riff-Raff and Magenta had taken it upon themselves to move into the guest room; after they're situated, they go to bed, curled up together, perfectly at ease. Magenta sighs, satisfied, "Ve did it, beloved. Ve are free." Riff kisses her pale neck with a content moan, "I never dared to hope. Our baby sister back from the dead, Frank-N-Furter gone at last, everything we could possibly dream of." That night, without fear of intrusion or punishment, they give themselves to each other, laughing out loud at their boldness.


	3. Chapter 3

Morning comes, and Janet still shows no signs of waking when Brad's carpool comes to pick him up for work. She lay there, making soft humming noises in her sleep. Before leaving, he barges into what is now Riff and Magenta's room, looking lost for what he wants to say. He points between one and the other, still entangled together in the sheets; finally all he can get out is "Don't do anything weird." Then off he goes, farewelled by demented laughter.

They remain in bed, feeling quite luxurious in their inactivity, alternating between sleep and sex. Eventually they pause to think of how much trouble they would be in if they'd behaved this way at Frank's castle.

"The Master would have you head for sure," Magenta chuckles, "he'd skin us alive!"

"Don't be silly, dear sister, if he'd killed us then who'd be left to do any work? He wouldn't dare ruin his manicure. We both know he had much more…innovative punishments than death." This thought sobers them both. Magenta cuddles up to him with a sigh. "You vere vonderful last night. He can't hurt us again." Exchanging a knowing smile with her brother, she gets up to use the shower. Riff-Raff gets up a few minutes later to go check on Janet.

He finds her still asleep; her moaning has escalated to a pleading note. Sitting down next to her on the bed, he experimentally traces a finger against her cheek, triggering a sound of approval. Her eyes flutter open and she draws a deep breath, trying to orient herself. Riff repeats the gesture, getting her attention.

"We are at your Earthling friend's house. Do you remember last night?"

Janet takes a few moments to gather her thoughts, her eyes go wide as she processes all that happened in the past 24 hours, and it obviously shakes her.

"Oh, Brad!" She cries with renewed mortification, "Where is he?"

"He's gone, he left this morning, but he will most likely return before too long."

Janet nods; she'd feared for a moment that he'd left _her_. She couldn't completely blame him if he had. "I need him! When will he be back?"

"Tonight, probably." Riff gives her a once-over: she's obviously in need; if they'd been home on Transexual then he would have been called upon to help her. Here on Earth it wouldn't be right, it would be yet another betrayal. It would bring temporary relief, yes, but at the cost of so much guilt on her part. "I'll fetch Magenta, perhaps she can do something."

Janet gives him a weary smile, reaches for his hand, "I'm so glad you're here. Don't let me forget again." He leaves the room and she slumps back on her pillow, flushed and sweating. A minute or two later, Magenta slips in. Gazing sympathetically at the helpless young woman on the bed, she lifts up the covers and slides in next to her. Magenta spoons up behind Janet, wraps her arms around her hips, and gently strokes the front of her panties, getting a pleasurable moan in return.

"Remember the first time we did this?" Magenta asks.

Janet smiles, remembering, "It was before we left home, I'd just turned 14, became a woman. I couldn't control myself then, either. I was so jealous of you; you were always the pretty one. I was so sure that no one would ever want me."

"That Majors does," Magenta observes, making her giggle.

"Brad? Even now? I'm surprised we're even still friends after what happened."

"He has no reason to blame you, he fell prey to temptation, too. Do you forgive him for that?"

Janet thinks, remembering her righteous anger at the sight of him in bed with Frank, then recalling that her own reaction was less than virtuous. If he can forgive her, she owes him no less. "Mmm," she purrs, "Of course I do." She looks at her engagement ring, smiling at it. "I don't know what he'll think when he gets home. You probably warned him, but…I just don't want to frighten him. What if I'm too strong for him? Or worse, what if I remind him of Frank? He's been asked to accept so much already. What if I repulse him? I don't think I could handle that."

"I think you're more afraid of how you'll respond. He's not the only one here traumatized by Dr Furter." Magenta stops her touching and just holds Janet around the middle. "No matter, now ve are safe."

Janet rolls over, facing her older sister with a pensive smile, she touches her cheek as though trying to confirm that she's really there. "This is so strange for me; suddenly having back these memories…these traits. I feel…alive and whole, but frightened. I wish Brad was here. I don't know what to do. Last night was the first time…for both of us." Her voice breaks at this point, overcome by humiliation over the previous night's escapades. "I wanted it to be with Brad! Now I don't know if I can ever make love to him without thinking of last night. But I have to, I must! I feel like I'm about to explode! Isn't there anything you can do?"

Magenta opens her mouth, about to say 'no', but then considers. "You need him, but you're afraid of how you'll both react. The only reason you need him like this is because of the DNA resequence." She pauses, thinking carefully as an idea forms. "If you were me, you'd feel perfectly normal; I've been this way as long as I can remember. I was never genetically manipulated." Their eyes meet, Janet's expression is curious while Magenta bears the look of an epiphany. "Majors isn't exactly my type, but there's always bound to be some sacrifice made in these strokes of brilliance. This could vork." She jumps out of bed and runs to the door.

"Wait! What are you talking about?"

"Simple! Ve svitch places. Riff designed a device not long ago that does that very thing. I'm sure I saw him pack it. It vas supposed to be part of an escape attempt, things vere getting desperate. I'm surprised he didn't use it on you two vhen you first arrived. It's a good thing he didn't, of course. This is the perfect solution. You can have your physical needs filled, but with no silly human awkvardness.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Same rules, different chapter, what a cheap show!

Magenta returns moments later with a strange device with handles on each end. They sit together on the bed, each takes hold of a handle and Magenta hits a button in the middle. There's a flash of light, and once their vision clears they see themselves. Magenta gives an involuntary shudder, reacting to being in the body of a newly reinstated Transylvanian. Meanwhile, Janet touches her face and hands, speechless. After inspecting herself, she speaks, and hears it come out in her sister's husky drawl:

"Are you sure about this? Are you all right?"

"Will you stop worrying?" She answers, looking stricken at her sudden lack of accent, putting a hand around her throat. Both women's attention is drawn back to the device when it sparks and fizzles. A wisp of smoke rises from its center, filling them with dread.

Janet chances speaking again, "Vhat happened? Vhat vent wrong?" Now it's her turn to cover her mouth, taken aback by her heavy accent. "Vhat vill Brad say? The plan vas for you two to be 'two ships passing in the night', then vonce the pressure vas off I'd be able to step in. Stranger things happened at your 16th birthday party! But no…now it's broken!"

Magenta takes her doppelganger by the shoulders and holds eye contact, "No, no it's not. Riff invented it, he can fix it. We just have to tell him what happened, and he'll fix it. This—isn't—permanent." Janet nods, still looking rather ill.

"Janus, are you still having difficulties?" Riff calls in as he comes up the hall.

"Uh, you could say that," Magenta replies, "Come in, w-would you?" She stutters a little over her new way of speaking.

"Are you girls all right in there?"

"Yes, ve are. Ve just need to show you something," Janet answers, bringing her hand back to her lips. "I used to sound like this," she murmurs, "They made me lose it." She lies on her back, assaulted by another wave of renewed childhood memories. The four moons of Transexual, the smell of the wind as it blew through the fields surrounding their home, her first coming-out party. A homesick sob straggles out of her throat. "Vhy did ve come to Earth?" She whispers.

Riff-Raff chooses then to enter the room; he takes a cursory glance at his sisters before he notices the smoking remains of his invention. He points at each of them with both hands, and then crosses his arms over to point to the other. They nod nervously, and he as well. "Don't worry, it isn't serious. It should only take a day or two to repair. Magenta…" he sighs, kneeling down next to her, whispers, "You were so beautiful." Riff traces a finger down her neck, getting another shiver of desire out of her. She leans forward, blushing the color of her namesake, and slides into his lap.

"Take me, my beloved; I cannot wait any longer," Magenta wraps her arms around his neck and cuddles him, kissing his neck.

He sighs heavily again and pushes her away, allowing her a kiss on the forehead. "I can't, sister."

"It's still me," she reminds him, trying to scoot closer to him while he pulls away.

"I know that, it's just not done here. Try to understand, it's only a few days."

Janet fidgets nervously, all too aware of whose appearance she bears, hoping Riff doesn't expect anything of her. They'd only just been reunited; even not figuring Brad into the equation, she'd need to get to know him again before she'd feel comfortable with that aspect of Transylvanian culture. That was assuming she'd ever take that tradition up again, she doubted she would.

Meanwhile, Brad's day at the office isn't going well. He'd not gotten any sleep last night, and now he's making up for it on his desk. As he sleeps, he dreams…

_He's alone in a vastly huge building, its rooms carrying elements from both his home and Frank's castle. Behind him he hears the sound of high-heeled shoes approaching, though he can see no one._

"_Admit it: you liked it, didn't you? Janet needn't know, I won't tell her. It's not all bad, is it? I really think you'll find it pleasant," Frank's voice echoes mockingly throughout the hall. Brad runs from it, and trips, finding he's wearing stiletto heels and tights again. "You liked it, didn't you? There's no crime in giving yourself over to pleasure."_

Brad wakes up with a start, yelling as he flails around, then as he remembers where he is he settles down. "It's all right, he's dead, it was just a dream," he whispers to himself. A supervisor then peeks into his cubicle.

"All right in there?"

Brad forces himself to breathe normally, "Yeah, must've nodded off. Didn't get any sleep last night. We had a really bizarre night, to be fr—honest."

"Need to go home early? You don't look so good."

He hesitates, then concedes, "I think that would be perfect. I just need some rest, I'll be fine, I promise. Janet would probably want me to come home sooner, too. See, last night she was, we were…attacked."

"Someone attacked you, Brad? Janet, too? That's terrible!"

"We weren't hurt, it just shook us up. He…definitely wasn't from around here."

"Hey, I'm really sorry about that. Why don't you take tomorrow off, too? I mean it; you've got sick days to use and you need a mental health break. It's lucky you're both okay."

Brad calls a cab and goes straight home. He gets through the door, and it looks like Riff-Raff and Magenta want to tell him something, but he waves them both away irritably. He reaches his room and sees Janet still in his bed. He quickly undresses and slides in next to her. She moans and pulls him on top of her.

"It's about time," she moans, "I thought you'd never get here!" She guides his hands over her chest, "I know it's your first time with a girl, I'll try to be as helpful as possible."

Brad looks at her, puzzled that she would speak so lightly of such a sensitive subject. But she's obviously in need, just as Magenta had warned him. Her sexuality had been awakened so suddenly, and so traumatically, that he was willing to accept any change in attitude.

"Mmm," she moans as he kisses her, "Yes, now, please!" She gasps.

Nearly an hour later they lay together, Brad gazes at the woman dozing next to him reverently. "Feel better, Janet?"

"Hmm-mm, not Janet."

"What?"

"D-didn't Riff tell you? I…switched us. She was…scared…suffering."

Brad sits up, now wide awake, "Who…?" Although he already knows who it must be.

"Magenta," she yawns, rolling over sleepily to face him as he leaps out of bed, repulsed. He rips the covers off of her and shouts, "Get out, you're done in here!"

Acting on unconscious impulse she scrunches up in a self-defending posture, screaming, "Master, please! Must rest!" She cringes, as though expecting him to strike her. Brad's anger disappears instantly, and he covers her back up gently. Cautiously he sits back down next to her, giving her a sympathetic look. "He got you, too?"

Her memory-induced terror abates at his soft tone, and she creeps back to him once she realizes she isn't in any danger here. "The Master gets what he wants. Riff tried…couldn't protect me…" At her last words he puts an arm around her.

"I'm sorry."

"He tried! I tried…too strong," she whispers in shame.

"Well, it looks like he got it in the end."

"That is how he liked it," Magenta quips. They face each other and smile. She quickly drops eye-contact. "I do feel better now. I'll probably need another dose in a little while, if you would." He reaches out curiously to touch her face, she quickly shrinks away. "Don't. We needn't pretend we like each other. This body, no matter who is in it, is adjusting to a new personal chemistry. It has to be you because Riff-Raff said it didn't feel right. He thought you'd be upset, Earthlings are often monogamous in their relationships."

Brad studies her, finding it strange that these aliens would be so considerate to his culture, that it would be considered in a medical matter. "I really should see Janet,"

"Easy on the goods, Majors."

He gets up to go, but stops short at the door, as something occurs to him. "One question: why did…what does switching identities with her accomplish?"

"She was afraid of needing you so badly, you've never seen that side of her and she didn't want to frighten you. She didn't want to remind you of…him. I think she was scared of being reminded as well. It'll take a while to get what happened behind you. You will though."

"Janet's afraid to have sex?"

"More or less. It definitely would not have gone as well as it did." Brad slowly acquires a rather smug expression, "No, Majors, the planet didn't move for me," she snaps, just in time to keep his ego in line. "Not bad for a first attempt, however." She pauses, thoughtful, now clearly speaking with some difficulty, "I can…see…why…she…likes you," she says, speaking into her lap.

"Oh?" Brad prompts, hoping for an explanation.

"You're an ass," Magenta spits harshly, scowling up at him resentfully, "but…y-you're—nice," she mutters in an undertone. As usual she can't pay him a compliment and meet his gaze at the same time. She looks back up at him with her old haughty expression. "Go. But don't be long, I may have need of you again… Thank-you"


	5. Chapter 5

Brad leaves and finds Janet waiting for him in the living room, lying on the couch. He stands over her, searching for some shred of resemblance. "Hi," he begins eloquently, kneeling down next to her. She gives him a wide smile, pleased that he recognizes her.

"How did everything go?"

"I just want you to know, I thought it was you. I swear, I thought it was you the whole time, until afterwards when she told me..." He looks her up and down, with a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair and over his face. Janet sits up and pats the seat next to her, once he's sitting with her she pulls him close with a look of sympathy. "This has got to go down as the strangest engagement on record," he continues, "but I love you."

"I'm so sorry you got mixed up in all this. You've been wonderful, Brad, I'm so glad none of this has scared you away. I'm sure Riff and Magenta appreciate everything you've done for them. Things will be better in just a couple days, you'll see." She gives his shoulders a rub, "So, vonce you found out it vas Magenta, vhat happened?"

"Honestly, I think she's got a split personality. One second she was…gentle, vulnerable…I'd almost say sweet. Then the next second she's brash and insulting."

Janet cuddles him, "She likes you. If she vas nice to you at all she must think quite a lot of you." He gives her a strange look, puzzling her, "Vhat?"

Brad smirks, turning around and tracing her bottom lip with his thumb, "You've got her accent." Abruptly, she claps a hand over her mouth, closing her eyes in embarrassment. He scoots out of her lap and faces her directly, "No, I didn't mean…It's all right, I just noticed Please talk to me." Janet shakes her head like an obstinate child, still not daring to look at him. "It just makes you sound kind of funny, that's all. Wait, that's not what I meant!" At that she puts her other hand over the first, now looking close to tears. "Riff-Raff will sort you out in no time, then you'll sound perfectly normal again." If he had hoped his last remark would reassure her, he is sadly mistaken. She finally opens her eyes to face him, looking crushed and confused. A thought slowly crosses Brad's mind, it's like watching the tide come in.

"You used to talk like Magenta, didn't you? Before you came here?" She nods, removing one of her hands from her mouth. He gently coaxes the other one away and kisses her. She stiffens in surprise, then returns it.

"Are ve all right? You and I? I just mean…I vant to be with you…but I'm not even sure who I am anymore. But whoever I am, I know I love you." She smiles hopefully. Brad kisses her again, but gets a mouthful of red frizz.

"You've got to do something about that hair," he laughs, pushing it back away from her face. "But other than that, I'd say we're going to be fine."

"Oh, Brad," she sighs, touching his face hungrily. He'd accepted so much already: a double infidelity on the eve of their engagement, the revelation that she's an alien being, her increased sexuality, and now an exchange of identities with her long-lost sister. It made her love him even more than before. "You probably should go check on Magenta. I'll be right out here." He nods and pats her hand. He kisses her again and heads back to the bedroom.

Magenta looks up at him, surprised by his sudden return; she was just starting to feel antsy again. She sits up in bed with the covers up to her lap, knees bent up, glowering at her legs with flushed cheeks. With this kind of reception, Brad finds it hard to believe that she likes him at all, despite Janet's vote of confidence.

"You're back."

"Yes, I am. I thought I'd see how you were."

"I see. Well, don't just stand there staring, make yourself useful."

"I want you to know I'm only doing this for Janet's sake. You did this for her so she wouldn't have to suffer…I…appreciate that." He seems to be having the same trouble being nice to her as she is with him. "I…guess you must care about her."

Strangely, this near-backhanded compliment gets a smile out of her. She pats the bed next to her and he awkwardly sits with her. "Look, I don't know if I can do this. Before, I thought you were Janet."

Magenta seems unconcerned, "So? It didn't change the fact that it was me."

"But…I barely know you! I don't know anything about you! And…I love Janet! This feels so wrong!"

Magenta rolls her eyes impatiently, "What do you need to know? I was born at harvest time in 4519, Tenth Year of the Old Queen. We were in the upper peasant class, in the service of the royal family for seven generations. Earth was discovered when I was six years old, my father hoped it would be a way to escape the tyranny. That obviously didn't go as he'd hoped. Father was killed in a rally protesting the iron rule of the Furter clan…I was ten. Janus and Riff both look like him. I'm more like Mother. The rest you can guess. We came to Earth when I was sixteen, escorting our mutual 'friend' on his mission to being colonizing. I've lived here for ten winters without scarcely ever leaving the castle. He kept a tight rein on his inferiors. I'd never seen the sun before. By our nature we are creatures of darkness. Our central star's light hardly ever reached us back home. We would get the day off school on days it did, to avoid risking exposure," she recalls with a smile. "The Master would occasionally bring his playmates home, his pet Earthlings, Riff and I would call them. Then Columbia came, a singing telegram girl who walked right across his path. She wasn't like the others, she never treated us like servants," she sadly remembers her recently deceased friend. "Riff-Raff didn't mean to kill her, she startled him and he acted without thinking." Suddenly she stops, realizing she revealed more than she'd initially intended. "You didn't need to hear all that, "she whispers.

Brad lies next to her with a slow smile, "I think I did. At least now I feel like I know you a little better." He strokes the backs of his fingers across her arm, "God, you're her sister though! That's wrong on so many levels!"

Magenta lays next to him, her eyes are beginning to glaze as intense desire takes hold. "Not where I come from. Help me. You'd help her."

"Can't you wait until that gadget is fixed?" Brad asks nervously.

"Are you crazy?" She growls, pulling his body roughly against hers. She then consciously turns up her inherent Transylvanian persuasive charm. She runs her right hand over his hair and blows against his neck. He groans pleasurably as he feels his resistance slip. She kisses his chest, playing her fingers down his back, rubbing against his knee.

"Janet…" he moans, "God, Janet…!" Magenta places a finger to his lips with a wicked grin.

"Yes, that's it," she purrs dangerously, placing his hands on her hips, "That's the idea." Brad then gives in completely, unexpectedly tightening his grip, causing her to let out a shriek of laughter. He positions himself on top of her, deliberately not letting go of her ticklish spots. Magenta writhes, helplessly convulsing, while Brad seems to take pleasure in the power-shift. The sound of her laughter is so real, so human. Brad realizes more fully that these aliens and himself aren't all that dissimilar. Any creature that could make sounds like that; he knew he had nothing to fear from. When he stops, their eyes meet briefly and for a split second he sees her unfettered expression of curiosity and surprise. Then her eyes go cool and aloof, for all the world unimpressed.

"I'm…waiting," she pants, somewhat ruining the effect of her imperious command.

Afterwards, Magenta comes out of a near comatose sleep to find Brad's hands wrapped securely around her middle, his face firmly against her back. She struggles to free herself from his grasp, "Come on, Majors, let go. Can you hear me? Stupid Earthling," she mutters darkly. Eventually she gives in to the futility of it and lies still. "Fine, have it your way." He gives her middle a sharp squeeze, making her squeal again, earning him a nudge in the ribs. She cranes around and looks at him curiously, then back at his hands. She puts her hands over his, as though trying to solve a magician's trick. Brad then shifts around jerkily, flipping her over so she's facing him. He mumbles in his sleep with his head against her chest. Magenta wrinkles her nose at him and lowers her eyes in irritation. She makes a fist and knocks on the top of his head. Brad wakes up with a grunt, looks up at her blearily. "Would you be so kind as to unhand me?" She 'requests'.

"Huh? Sure, sorry." He lets go of her and she scoots away from their snug 'nest' in the middle onto the cool, unused part of the bed. She fights down a strange warm fluttering sensation, blaming it as an after-effect of her initiation. "I have one question for you, Majors. What was that?"

"What was what?" he returns, looking annoyed and confused. "I just did what I had to. There wasn't much of a choice if you'll recall. I won't be doing it again."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Well, what do you mean?"

"I don't know, or I wouldn't be asking you! I…don't understand," she admits softly, finding herself reaching for him, then forcing herself to pull away. "I don't understand. Is it normal? It's never been like that before. I consider myself to be fairly experienced and it's never been anything like that, like what you did."

Brad looks at Magenta quizzically, she seems confused, lost. He's afraid the wrong word might bring her to tears. Sitting up with a resigned sigh, he scoots back to her and pets her hair, thoroughly disturbed by the soft helpless look she fixes him with. She looks exactly like Janet when she looks at him that way. It's almost as though she's in love. "'Genta, just spell it out for me. How was it different?"

"The way you touched me…I've never felt those things before. It was marvelous, to have something new! But I feel funny now; I don't know what's wrong." Slowly, she sits up, brushes her fingertips against his face, taking quick shallow breaths. "What did you do to me?"

He takes her hand and forces it back down, "I think I caught you with your guard down. I didn't realize you were so ticklish."

"Ticklish? That's what you call it? So it's normal? Gods, I shouldn't even be talking to you! What's wrong with me? I don't even know you!"

Brad cocks an eyebrow at her, "So, it's okay to have sex with someone you barely know, but it isn't okay to get tickled by a total stranger?"

"You're an Earthling!" She shouts, accusing, "What do you know of these things? Nothing! On Transexual, anyone can have sex with whoever they want, there's no betrayal there. This…this is different. I felt something…I'm _scared_," she whispers, shaking her head and blushing with downcast eyes. "This isn't real, it's still Janet somehow. Part of her is still in control, that's the only way to explain it."

He brushes her cheek, tracing her lip like he'd done with Janet. She impulsively takes his head between her hands and kisses him on the mouth. After only two seconds they both push roughly away; Brad wipes his mouth while Magenta takes a few shuddery breaths, eyes closed in a savoring air. "It's her," she confirms, overwhelmed, "Gods, she loves you."

"Janet's in there?"

"Not…exactly. Only her taste in men, and her reactions to them," she replies, wiping her eyes.

"I'm sure you'll feel better once you're yourself again." He reaches towards her but she shrinks back, not trusting herself to keep control. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I also didn't realize you were so ticklish, I probably would've kept my hands to myself."

"So…that's normal? Do you think Riff could do that? It was…interesting from you, I'm sure I'd be more comfortable with my brother, though. It's always a treat to try new things together."

This light remark opens the door wide for a question Brad's been dying to ask, "Why do the two of you…? I mean, he's your brother! That's just not normal for most people. Maybe it is for you, I don't know."

Magenta sits back with an easy smile, "Family is very important back home. It's everyone's first loyalty. We stick together, rely on each other. I suppose it's kind of… a trust that's bred into us. Where we're from, everyone's first time is always with a family member: brothers, sisters, cousins. Always someone older, with experience, that they can trust with the rite. When we came here, it was apparent from the start that it wasn't going to be fun, so Riff-Raff and I looked after each other. Whenever I was homesick and miserable I'd sneak into his room at night and stay with him till morning. Sometimes all he'd do is hold me. Other times if we had the energy we'd do more. I think the Master was envious, that we had each other, so he'd do anything he could to keep us apart." She falls silent again, teetering on the brink of saying more. "Family is important to us…Just like my sister is important to you. She does love you, I already know that much. She must think you're worthy."

Brad thinks he knows what she's trying to say, but decides against guessing. Magenta gets up and shakes out her crushed negligee before putting it back on. She begins pacing nervously, looking at him intermittently, sometimes with a soft exposed expression, sometimes glaring contempt. Finally she steels herself to continue, "If anything ever happens to Riff…do…you…think…I could…stick with you," she forces the question through clenched teeth, her eyes averted, "Brother?" Still not looking directly at him, she holds her hands out, palms flat down, waiting. Brad is stunned, speechless. It's the last thing he'd been expecting. At most, he'd been hoping she would give him permission to marry her sister. He wasn't sure if he deserved to be so fully welcomed into the fold. He also hesitated at its implications, that in a sense he would be one of them. Still, by marrying Janet he would be throwing in his lot with them anyway. He'd do anything to protect her, even hide her from the FBI. Brad finally gets to his feet, crosses the room to her, and they perform the familiar gesture. Magenta smirks at his clumsy attempt. For a while, neither one knows what to say. She fixes him with a piercing gaze; Brad finally uses the excuse of looking for his pants to break eye-contact.

"So, I'm part of the team, now. All for one, tea for two, is that is?" She nods stiffly.

"Part of the family, yes." Suddenly she tenses up, apprehensive, "Don't betray us, swear it. I can't expect you can understand what I've said about loyalty and…family. Just promise me you won't betray us. He could already tell this was a huge leap of faith on her part. Aliens whose only legitimate face among Earthlings was until recently an intimate friend of a known enemy.

"I promise. You have my word that all three of you will be safe here. I never had a real family before; I was raised in a foster home. I was a ward of the state until I was 16. I don't even know if you have orphans where you come from, so you might not even know what I'm talking about. This wouldn't be your average Earth family, but it's welcome nonetheless."

Magenta flips her eyes skyward and shoves him out the door, calling "Don't let it go to your head, Majors!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Rocky Horror isn't mine. All belongs to the Everlasting RO'B.**

Brad goes back to the living room and drops into a chair. Janet glides in from the next room like a shadow, she watches him for a moment, glad that his 'help' is no longer required.

"You look tired," she observes as she comes near him. "Is she still giving you a hard time?" She takes a seat on the footstool in front of him.

Brad looks at her and smiles, shaking his head with half-shut eyes. "I still think she's a little crazy, but we've reached an understanding. I think it's taken care of, you know? I don't think she'll be needing me again."

"That's good. Thank you for helping her. The fact that she let you near her means a lot, especially since you're an Earthling. I'm just glad we're done sharing you."

"Now all we need is to get you two switched back and everything will be peachy," Brad yawns. He blinks, focusing on her fully; she'd braided her hair to keep it out of her face, but the look doesn't quite suit her. He studies her carefully, searching for his Janet in her sister's body. Finally he hits upon it: they have the same kind of heart-shaped face, and the same smile. They simply stare at each other silently, just content to be together.

"So what kind of understanding did the two of you reach?" Janet asks, abandoning the footstool for his lap.

"Well, that's the kind of funny part. I think…she trusts me. I'm kind of an honorary member of the family. She did her elbow thing, like she does with Riff-Raff."

Janet doesn't quite believe what he'd just said, "Vith you?" He nods. "There's nothing 'honorary' about it, Brad. I don't know what to say, this is a real shock! It isn't to be taken lightly, I can't even think of how to explain. It represents something beyond trust, beyond…love! Magenta chose you. You're her brother now, there's no other way to tell you. She must have been impressed vith you."

Brad doesn't say anything more on the subject, instead he starts unwinding her wild mane from its restraints. He runs his fingers though it, fluffing it back up, pondering its stark contrast to her pure white skin.

"You said you used to sound like Magenta. Did you ever look like her, too?"

Janet giggles nervously, turning her face away from him. "No, never. She was always the pretty one." She turns back to him, to see whether or not he agrees. "Mother used to tell me I had potential, but then ve came here. Earth people's standards are qvite different. Here, everyone vants to look like they've been in the sun too long. Even I do, by comparison. Back home I had much fairer skin, since it's nearly always night there, and our blood isn't red like yours."

"Really? I hadn't even thought of that. What color is it?"

"Kind of a light lavender. It might be that our sameness is only skin-deep." She stops, afraid she'd said the wrong thing. "It's still me, Brad. Nothing important has changed. Riff-Raff even thinks that you and I should still be able to have children." Janet looks up at him apologetically; meanwhile Brad starts to look like he's getting a headache, worrying his fiancée that they're approaching dangerous waters. "I'm sorry," she whispers, drawing away from him dejectedly. She slinks to the other side of the room and curls up in the other chair. They star across the room at each other, completely unsure of where they stand, when a bloodcurdling scream comes from the guest room.

"Look at me! I'm right here, don't pretend I'm not here!"

"If you expect me to act as though nothing's different, then maybe you've finally cracked!" Riff-Raff shouts back.

"Just be with me, talk to me," Magenta demands.

"What do you call this?!"

"Riff, we're not talking, we're screaming!" Brad and Janet snap out of it and listen, for the moment all they can hear is panting. Then Magenta speaks, softly repeating her request. "Please talk to me. It's still me, it's still us! Brad talks to me."

"Oh, so it's 'Brad', now, is it? I thought he was beneath you. Perhaps being beneath him changed that."

"I can't believe this. How can you be jealous? I had to sleep with him; you weren't giving me any options, might I remind you. I wasn't exactly begging to. Besides…he is an Earthling, but…I don't know. He's okay."

"Oh, Gods! You did it, didn't you? Magenta, how can you be sure he's worthy? He's friends with Everett Scott!" He stalks around the room, looking anywhere but in his sister's direction.

"Was friends with him," she corrects, "He's hiding us from him remember?"

Riff sighs, clearly not angry anymore, but sounding as though he still needs to understand. "I just don't want anything to happen to you." He stops his pacing in front of her, looks her in the eye and presses down gently on her shoulders to get her to sit on the bed. He sits next to her, taking not of her anxious expression and cursing his temper. Somehow she senses they've made up and wraps her arms around his, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. He runs a hand up and down her leg, getting an approving sound in response. "You're not a child, I know. I just want to make sure you're not making a mistake, by joining him to us so fast. He's an Earthling! But…" he consents, "Janus trusts him. She loves him. And now he's earned your trust as well?" He looks down at her, she quirks an elfish smile, as if to say "I know what I'm doing." Riff smiles back, gives her hair a flip. "It's not so bad. Nothing your blow-dryer can't fix. Besides, it'll only be a couple more days. Come on, let's see what there is to eat around here. It's a nice change not having to serve anyone, isn't it?" They chuckle conspiratorially, eliminating any doubts of where they stand. They give each other a one-handed elbow-sex, sealed with a kiss. They get up and wander out to the rest of the house. They find Brad and Janet in the kitchen making a pot of coffee on the stove.

"I just ordered Chinese. It's lucky there's someplace in town that delivers, since the car won't be back till tomorrow."

Riff and Magenta exchange looks, "You're right, my dear, it's still us," he murmurs into her neck. Watching them interact gives Brad a glimpse of what he's been welcomed into. In just that glance between brother and sister he can almost see 'beyond trust, beyond love.' That Magenta could feel that towards him, so soon after having met him, was disquieting to say the least. While he is still uncertain how he feels for her, he had freely promised that he'd keep her safe, and already he thought of her as family. If they would ever achieve the symbiosis she shared with her brother remains to be seen, though Brad doesn't suspect they would.

"So, it should be here in about 20 minutes or so," Brad finishes, as though he hadn't heard Riff-Raff's cryptic remark. He tries to act as though seeing Magenta, masquerading as Janet, clinging to Riff with such devotion didn't bother him at all.

Janet sits at the table with a cup of coffee, fiddling with it as though she needed to keep her hands busy. "Are you feeling better, 'Genta?"

She takes a seat next to her, in obvious good spirits, "You're lucky I stepped in for you, little sister. Consider yourself initiated. I believe I initiated your Earthling." The girls share a laugh over this idea.

"Oh, really?" Janet asks, casting an eager look at her fiancé. Brad picks up on her appraising expression.

"That'll have to wait. I have to be honest, you're kind of scary-looking."

And instantly the laughter ices over. Both women turn and stare at him, affronted. Riff-Raff wisely inches his way out of the room.

"Scary-looking? You think I'm scary-looking?" Janet asks, her voice dangerously soft. Magenta just sits there, frozen in disbelief. She murmurs something inaudible.

"Wh-what?" Brad asks, getting the feeling that he'd said something reprehensible.

"I said…I could have been a finalist for Miss Teen Transexual!" And she storms out of the room after her brother.

"Wait, I--" Brad trails off, finding himself once again alone with Janet. She sits there, studying her reflection in the back of a spoon. She touches her face, runs her fingers through her hair with an air of vanity. Then she gets up and heads for her siblings' center of operations. With a very hurt and confused look she tells Brad, "You owe someone an apology."

He follows her to Riff and Magenta's room, and finds them all together on the bed. After grimly wondering at what Riff-Raff's methods for comforting his sisters might be, he knocks on the doorframe and gestures to Magenta to follow him into the hall. Riff and Janet creep forward to listen in, unbeknownst.

"Never in my life have I been so insulted, Majors!" Magenta hisses venomously, sweeping around him angrily, a cruel caricature of a fallen angel. "Scary-looking?"

"Well, you're not now," he covers lamely.

"Ordinarily? When I'm myself? How?"

"I don't know, you just are. You're so pale, and you have all that hair…and your eyes. Even with Janet behind them they're just…otherworldly. Even your makeup looks creepy!"

In the next room, Riff-Raff and Janet exchange looks. Riff smiles darkly, looking his sister up and down while Janet inspects herself in the mirror. Even when she and Brad had arrived at the castle, before she could remember who she was, she hadn't found Magenta repulsive…it had been erratic behavior that had so frightened her. She got the feeling it had been their intention. But in her own half-crazed alien way she was strikingly beautiful, and she knew it.

"—And you sound like a vampire!" Brad stupidly continues, making everyone flinch. "No one else at that castle sounds like that. Why do you?"

"He didn't," Janet breathes.

"He did," Riff answers

"He's dead."

"Soon enough."

Magenta winds up and slaps him in the face; shaking the sting from her hand, she draws herself up, "Because," she says as she savagely advances upon a retreating Earthling, "I chose to keep my accent! Riff says it reminds him of home, Riff thinks I'm beautiful! What do you know about anything? Scary-looking indeed! Well you're no prize-winner!"

"And she trusted him, she liked him," Janet laments.

"You asked," Brad reminds her, getting an almost tearful look in return.

"In case you've forgotten, we're not from here, Majors!"

"I know, I'm sorry"

"I want to go home," she admits, walking back out to the living room and sitting on the couch. "I never thought I'd hear my best features thrown at me as insults. Everything on this wretched planet is so different."

"I'm sorry," he repeats, standing behind her seat, unsure of what to do to help a homesick alien sister-in-law. "I shouldn't have said it like that. Talking to girls has never been my strength, I usually end up with my foot in my mouth sooner or later."

"Riff said it could be a few days till the switching device is fixed. What does that mean for you and Janus—Janet? I don't know much about Earthlings; back home we fool around with people we're attracted to physically, but we devote ourselves to people we love. She was sensitive about how she looks since we were young. She went through a rather awkward time, and I remember telling her the story of the ugly bird who grew up to be a bat." She looks directly up and sees Brad's puzzled expression. "You don't know the story? Every child hears it, if they feel like they don't fit in. It's about a little family of birds up in a tree, and one of them doesn't look like the rest, and likes to sleep hanging upside-down. The others all gang up on her and tease, so the ugly bird flies away from home, and is so lonely and sad that she's so ugly. Then, in another tree not far from hers she finds many others like her, all hanging upside down like she does. They call to her and she stays with them forever, because she's not really an ugly bird, she's a beautiful bat. You have to have heard the story."

"Something like it," Brad smiles, "It's just hard to imagine Janet thinking she's ugly."

"Like it's hard to imagine me as being anything but."

"That came out the wrong way, I said I'm sorry. I'm sure you're a beautiful bat."

She turns and faces him, touched in spite of herself. "Well, Riff-Raff and I suit each other just fine. As long as we have each other, it's not so bad."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own RHPS, it belongs to Richard O'Brien. All I have is this humble fic, which is my love-letter to him ******

Together they go back to Riff and Magenta's room. Janet is lying on the foot of the bed, curled into the fetal position. Riff-Raff is sitting next to her, working on repairing his invention. Neither one takes any notice of Brad. Magenta cuddles up with her brother.

"Maybe I should call Mom. She might know what to do," Janet suggests.

"What if she doesn't wish to remember? Forcing her would be unwise," Riff advises. "No, we'll have to wait until we have you girls sorted out before we contact her." He smiles down at Magenta, tracing her face, "And you're not helping things there."

"How can I help?" She asks earnestly, "I want to be me again, even if I do frighten the locals." She holds the device steady between her legs and holds a magnifying glass over the open part. Janet turns and sees Brad in the doorway, before ducking her head to hide her face.

"Hey, don't. Look at me, Janet. Please look at me," he coaxes. He cups her jaw in his hand, tilting her chin up. "I'm sorry I said those things. This has been a lot for me to take, understand? I'm still willing to stick it out. I didn't mean to be hurtful, but this is crazy!" Brad's attempt at being understanding topples as frustration takes hold. He looks down for a moment, the minute he stops and actually thinks about the situation he's in he finds himself thoroughly out of his depth. But he's helpless, and in love, and that fact once again wins out. He looks back up at her, drawing a finger down her cheek and down her neck as she shudders with desire. What neither of them currently realizes is that Transylvanians by nature are impossible to resist. Without knowing it, Janet draws her fiancé as the moon draws the tide. With a look of sheepish apology he finds himself lost in her otherworldly eyes. "Dammit, Janet, I love you," Brad whispers. Hearing him repeat the words of his proposal is all it takes to break Janet's resolve. She laughs in relief as Brad joins the trio on the bed, content that all is well between them.

A moment later there's a knock at the door, bringing them all back to reality. Brad gets up to pay the delivery guy and returns with a brown bag of Chinese. He hands around the cardboard cartons, Riff and Magenta exchange looks.

"It's all right. I think you'll like it."

Again, their eyes meet significantly, giving Brad the impression that they can read each other's minds. He fumbles with his chopsticks and eats out of one of the containers, proving it isn't poisoned. Magenta copies him, dipping her fingers into his container and bringing them to her mouth. Her face instantly lights up and she digs in for another handful of noodles. She giggles in pure rapture.

"Riff, try it!"

"You're sure it's safe?" He asks cautiously.

"It's like Grandma Drusilla's frog guts!"

At this, the other two Transylvanians grab at it, knocking Brad off the bed again. He watches them fight, as they end up feeding each other, cackling madly.

"Frog guts," he mutters to himself in wonder at his strange new family. Janet reaches over and pulls him back up with the rest of the party. She cuddles up to him, as their laughter fades to homesickness. He holds her tightly, listening to her melancholy sighs, stroking her hair, smoothing it down.

Riff and Magenta begin to curiously investigate the remaining cartons. While none of the rest inspires such an emotional response as the first, it all goes over well. After it's all gone the four of them cuddle some more.

"Oh, Brad, I vas so vorried. I thought you didn't love me anymore. And…I vas kind of scared that you'd like Magenta better…especially…" Janet indicates her appearance. Brad doesn't answer; instead he scoops her up in his arms and carries her to his bedroom. He drops her down on the bed; she hops back up and undresses, changing into one of the nightgowns Brad had picked up from her place. Brad watches with interest, torn between arousal and uncertainty. Janet guesses his train of thought with a wicked grin, and she lets him off the hook.

"I don't think ve should tonight. You may not be up to it; you've vorked hard enough today."

Back in Riff and Magenta's room, they've turned out the lights; Magenta shifts restlessly, letting her brother spoon behind her. Since this is largely how she'd spent her day, naturally she isn't going to settle down right away. She looks around the room, all cast in bizarre shadows from the pale glow of the moon. After an hour of finding shadow shapes as one might watch clouds creep across the sky, she drifts off to a light sleep. When she wakes again, the moon is hidden and the room is completely black. Magenta stiffens in surprise, drawing a breath of discovery. "Riff-Raff! Riff! Wake up!" She reaches behind her and shakes him insistently.

"Hmm?"

"I can see in the dark!"

"Mm, couldn't you before?" He yawns.

"No," she whispers earnestly, "not in this body anyway. She was turned into a human, remember? She would have been blind!"

"I see. Good thing I fixed it. Bet Majors won't be pleased."

Magenta rolls over in his arms, facing him. "He'll live with it. It doesn't affect him. I'm so happy she'll have that back. I hope her complexion improves, she's so pink!"

"Magenter, dearest? Shut up." And he goes straight back to sleep.

Brad isn't finding sleep any easier than Magenta; he lies awake thinking about his and Janet's situation. "Why didn't I see it before?" He asks himself. Even her behavior at the castle should have made it clear what she is. When they'd first arrived and rang the bell she'd been extremely apprehensive, and when Riff-Raff had answered the door he and Janet couldn't take their eyes off of each other. Her terrified scream at Frank's arrival would be considered an overreaction, unless she'd somehow known him sometime in the past. So many things pointed to a fact that had to be spelled out to him: the woman he loves is an alien. Her spontaneous applause at Frank's creation speech, down to how she'd navigated the castle so easily, even in her distraught state. "Why didn't I see it before?" Brad demands of himself, secretly ashamed that to a small part of him it still matters. She'd assured him that nothing important had changed, still he wonders. What would they do if anyone found out? Brad tries to get that part of his mind to shut up, when, unbidden, he remembers the words she'd sung at the floorshow. Hers were words of exultation while he could only sing of his confusion. Finally, sleep steals upon him, sweeping him into an unsettling dream:

_He and Janet stand together in a tunnel with a blue light shining through one end. Janet is wearing a corset with a garter belt, fishnets, and 5" heels. She smiles brightly and tries to pull him along towards the light._

_"Come! Come with me!"_

_Brad hangs back, trying to pull her back to him as well, "No, stay with me."_

_"It's all right, Brad! Come on! It'll be fine, come with me!"_

_"Janet, no…stay, please stay!" Everything goes black, leaving him alone in the dark. "Come back!" He calls into the void, "Come back, Janet, don't leave me."_

In the waking world, Janet hears Brad talking in his sleep. She wraps herself around him whispering in his ear. "I'm here, I'm right here, Brad." She kisses his neck, waking him up. He comes face to face with Janet, still bearing her sister's appearance. He flinches with a disoriented gasp. The room is enshrouded in total darkness, he asks falteringly,

"J-Janet?"

She takes one of his hands and presses it to her cheek. "Yes, it's me."

He twists around in the direction of her voice, still haunted by his dream. "Brad, don't look at me like that. It's still me, understand?"

"You…you can see me? I can't see a thing."

Janet chuckles softly in Magenta's low, almost sinister laugh. "Night vision. This is vonderful! I haven't been able to see in the dark for years. You look frightened. Vas it a nightmare?" She runs her hand through his hair, cuddling up to him. He reaches over and turns on a lamp, temporarily blinding them both with the sudden light. Brad slips on his glasses, blinking away spots while Janet is still covering her face.

"Brad, please…" she gasps, nursing her sensitive eyes. He sits up, blocking the direct light, curiously pulling one of her hands away. She slowly removes the other, and finally she looks at him. . "The light…hurts my eyes," she whispers, "I'll be all right, just give me a minute."

"Sorry, I should've known. I wasn't thinking."

"Don't vorry, there's no reason you should have known. This is all new for both of us."

"And you like it." It almost sounds like an accusation.

"And you don't." She sits up with him, fidgeting in her nervousness, "I don't vant this to be normal for us, Brad. Alvays vondering if you've had enough. Alvays afraid something vill make you stop loving me. I hope…we can be together on this. I can't help what's happened to me, what's still happening to me, but nothing is so critical that is should come betveen us." She stops, covering her mouth; Brad had been flinching at every 'v' sound to cross her lips. "I can't help it."

Brad steadies himself with a deep breath, traces her bottom lip with his thumb with a faltering smile. "I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think that. I don't want that for us either. Everything is just so…different. It just takes time to get used to. Can you see all right? Is it better now?" She nods, now with a hungry look in her eyes. She scoots closer to him, leaning in to kiss him while he reflexively moves away.

"Do I scare you?"

Brad kicks himself for being so stupid, and closes the gap between them, kissing her on the mouth. She stiffens for a second, then flows into it, intensifying it. Her sudden rush of lust is a palpable essence, drawing Brad in further. She guides his hands over her body, moaning in delight. Before they get carried away, however, Janet cuts it short. They gaze at each other, mystified.

"What was that?" they ask in unison.

Brad looks her up and down, her hypnotic spell still lingering on his brain, "Did…you do that?"

She shrinks back, suddenly ashamed and frightened, as is becoming her habit when accused of doing something 'alien'. "I…I think so. Did you like it?"

"Like it?! Janet…just turn it off if you can, whatever that is. I can't think straight."

"But did you like it? Tell the truth."

"Well, yes, I did. But--"

Janet puts her hand over his mouth with a reassuring smile, "You like it? Oh, good. I'm so happy you said that, Brad. You see? Not everything different has to be scary. Some changes are nice." She presses herself into his arms, keeping a lid on her irresistible charm. "You're not angry, are you?"

"No, I'm not angry. Just promise me you won't use…whatever that was unless it's called for."

"You think I'd use my 'powers' against you?"

"I wouldn't call it a power, Janet."

"All right, how about old world charm?" She giggles into his neck, writhing against him as she deals a more controlled dose.

Now that he knows what to expect, Brad's on to her this time. "Janet...s-stop it. Come on, that's not…fair," he forces out with effort. He moans pleasurably and gives in to her strange new influence. "We're going to have to talk about this," he murmurs languidly, kissing down to her navel. Janet senses the seriousness of the situation and slackens her hold on him, sliding back to neutral mode. She sits back up, playing with Brad's mussed-up hair.

"This does explain a few things about that night. How he vas able to draw us in so easily. I promise I'll never use it like that. He must have found a vay to…I don't know, concentrate it or something. Use it like a drug to lure humans…that must've been how ve ended up on that stage. I remember…I couldn't stop myself, I remember being under his control. Looking back, it's frightening, but at the time it felt…so right, just perfectly natural. Such a strange happy feeling. Vas it like that for you?"

Brad sits back up, shaking his head in self-disgust, grateful in a macabre way that Janet had still been a statue during his little solo. "No. And it wasn't like…with you, either. I was fighting it as hard as I could at first, but like you said, I couldn't stop myself, and I gave up soon enough. Things get foggy at that point, but what I do remember isn't exactly flattering."

Janet cuddles up to him, with her head against his chest, "Do you trust me? Not to do that to you, I mean."

Brad looks at her with a dry chuckle, "You're comparing yourself to Frank? Don't be silly. Look, I want you to know this now, in case I forget sometime: I love you, and it doesn't matter what planet you come from, or what you look like, or any of that. You're not a monster, Janet."

"I hope we can both remember that," she adds.

A worried frown darkens Brad's expression, "So, you're expecting more things…to change?"

Janet straightens up, giving him a mournful look. "I don't vant to frighten you. Although it might be a bit late for that. I promise, whatever happens, it's still me. Try to understand. I don't expect you to right away, but you're doing better."

"I am trying."

"I'll probably lose some color, and I'll be more light-sensitive. That's how we evolved; Transexual is a virtually sunless planet. It receives the warmth from the sun, but we're always in shadow."

"Magenta told me you'd get the day off school on days the light reached you," Brad recalls. "Your version of a snow day."

"Yes," Janet laughs softly at the comparison, pleased that Brad is looking for similarities between their races—and finding them. "It didn't happen too often, usually it was vintertime on days it did. It always made Mother anxious. It was our job to secure the drapes throughout the castle, she vould be afraid that ve'd get burned. In a vay, that made it kind of fun."

"I guess scaring your parents is a universal pastime for any kids," Brad admits, relaxing somewhat. Janet and her family may be aliens, but certain things cross cultures. "So, what else do you think will…be different?"

"I can't think of anything, although I don't know everything for sure. That, a moment ago, my…"

"Old world charm?" Brad supplies.

"Yes, that. That vas unexpected. Of course, vhen I vas captured, I vas too young to have gotten it. I'd just turned 14; I probably vould have developed it vithin that year if they hadn't…done that to me."

Suddenly Brad is struck by a feeling of injustice on behalf of his fiancée, hearing it from her perspective makes it clear how violated she and her mother had been. And he'd been friends with the man who did it to her, that part makes him sick! He'd looked up to him, stayed in contact with him, even after high school. Hell, he'd been the one who'd set him up with Janet in the first place! Had there been a more sinister intent there? Had Dr. Scott hoped his loyal former student would keep an eye on his old pet project? Well, he could count him out of that equation. Unconsciously, Brad pulls her closer, protectively. He's so lost in his thoughts he hardly hears what she just said.

"Brad, are you listening? I said there might be a little surprise…once I'm me again," she alludes with a beguiling smile. "I hope I get it, anyway. It's nothing bad, just different. I hope you like it." Janet yawns and lies back down. "Let's get some sleep, okay? Things should be better tomorrow."

Instead, Brad gets out of bed, switching off the lamp. "I can't, not yet. I'm too awake. I'll just step outside for a little while; I'll be right back in a few minutes." And with that he zips his jacket up over his pjs and goes out on the porch.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I still don't own Rocky Horror, dammit! 20th Century Fox and Richard O'Brien still have credit for it. All I'm doing is taking the ball and running with it.

Brad finds Magenta out on the porch, sitting in a deckchair, stargazing, perhaps looking for her home. He sits next to her and lights a cigarette. This gets her attention instantly.

"Can I have one?"

Brad shakes his head, "I don't know how to tell you this, but you don't smoke." He takes a drag on it, getting an envious look from his fellow insomniac. She glares at him in disgust, then unexpectedly places her hand over his, her eyes closed tightly in aversion. Brad looks at her curiously, then at their clasped hands; he can hear her rather labored breathing, as though she herself can't believe what she's doing.

"Are you all right? What is this?"

Magenta opens her eyes, giving him the same soft, almost lovesick look that had unsettled him earlier. "She likes you." She states simply. "She," Magenta makes an up-and-down gesture at herself, "is…quite fond of you. And I get the side-effects," she huffs. "This is not under my control, Majors, understand? I have no choice but to…feel this way." She removes her hand, raising it to her forehead wearily. "You're such an ass."

"So I've heard."

She turns to him with a smile, eyes sparkling with silent laughter. Her breath catches in her throat, and after taking a moment to compose herself she continues, "You can't be so upset that your girlfriend isn't who you thought she was. You have no idea how important you are to her."

Brad reaches out and touches her face, transfixed. This time she doesn't pull away, allows his curious caress. She leans into it with a soft crooning moan, helpless for the moment. "Don't. Stop," she whispers, "Don't stop."

With considerable effort, Brad drags himself away, not even trusting himself to look at her, cutting short their moment of weakness of the flesh before it can lead to anything regrettable.

"I'm sorry; I don't know what got into me."

Magenta drops her face in her hands, suddenly robbed of his touch, nodding agreement. "Perfectly all right, at least one of us has some self-control. I just…want…"

"Don't finish that sentence."

Taking a sudden deep, fortifying breath, Magenta straightens back up and faces him, flicking him a disdainful look that tells him she's okay. Brad can't help but feel that they're somehow friends now.

"Tell me, what else is going to happen to Janet? What other changes should I expect?"

Magenta shrugs, then considers, "Well, there's the increased sex drive—humans mustn't have much of one to speak of—and she'll have vastly improved night vision, she'll lose this ridiculous pink in a matter of days, hopefully." She inspects her hands derisively. "Her blood should be changing back to its normal color soon. Red blood, whoever heard of such a thing! Until she adapts to this environment again it'll be like she's never seen the sun before."

"Yeah, I noticed, even as you her eyes are sensitive to the light."

Magenta nods, "She'll probably have to wear sunglasses, even in the house, until she's used to it again. There's no telling how long that should take. You'll need to come up with a cover story, people close to her will notice unless they're blind."

"Janet mentioned something else, something she'd hoped to get anyway. She wants it to be a surprise. Do you know what that is?"

She smirks, a knowing and amused look on her face, "I do. But if she wants it to be a surprise, far be it from me to spoil it for you. I do hope she gets it. You won't like it, I know that already. It isn't bad, just…different. It might scare you, if the rest of it has, but you might not mind it after a while. Riff-Raff thinks it's adorable."

Brad looks puzzled, "Does…everyone from your planet…have it?"

"The women do."

He nods, chalking it up as a girl thing, "So, do you?"

She looks affronted, as though he'd asked her something very personal. "Well…yes."

"Great! Could you show me? Just so I know what to expect?"

Magenta's eyes go wider still, feeling her face grow warm, "For…you? N-no, that's…that's out of the question, Majors. I couldn't! Even if I could…they'd kill me! Don't let Riff hear you ask that, either, if you value your skin. Don't even mention it to him."

Brad is taken aback by the seriousness of this little secret of hers, "Thanks for the tip. It's private, then?"

"Yes, very. You don't realize…you don't even know what you just said to me." She fails to suppress a shriek of nervous giggles. She tries to hide her smile behind a scowl, though her eyes hold an expression that's almost flattered. She gets up to go back inside, "Sleep well, Brad," she softly says over her shoulder.

"Goodnight, 'Genta," Brad replies, following her into the house. He goes back to his bed and finds it empty. After puzzling over this, he lies down to wait for Janet's return.

Magenta finds her in bed with Riff-Raff, just laying with him and speaking in low voices. Rebuking herself inwardly for her flash of anger—they must be sharing a weakness for each other's mate—she creeps out again before she is seen.

"We really shouldn't," Janet murmurs, a cozy attempt at a protest.

"We aren't doing anything wrong. Everything is fine," Riff assures her. "You're well within your rights to come to me, and it's still my job to look after you. Think of this as making up for lost time." He sounds genuinely regretful at having lost that time with her. Unable to argue with his reasoning, Janet allows herself to relax with him.

"I hope there won't be any more problems with Brad. I can't help what's happened, I'm just as scared as he is!"

"I know. I hope so, too. The machine's almost fixed, don't worry. The rest, you two will have to cope with on your own. Worst case scenario, you'll still have us."

She gives him a cuddle, "This feels so good. Can you imagine Magenta pawing at Brad like this?" She giggles at the thought.

"Who's to say she isn't?" Riff counters. This is too much for them, and they cackle uproariously in perfect unison. They stop together, breathless, smiles flickering like moth's wings at the corners of their lips. Janet tears herself away before she becomes too entranced and unable to stop herself.

"I'd better go. But thank you, I'm so glad you're here." She gets out of bed and returns to Brad's room, climbing back into bed with him. He studies her in the moonlight which now streams through the window. Despite her assurances that she'd never resembled her sister, Brad suspects he'd find out for himself shortly. As she gets settled back in, he finds himself wondering how these changes her alter-ego is undergoing will affect their day-to-day lives. How would they explain her sudden change in appearance? He'd leave that to Janet to come up with an excuse. They might as well start off by keeping their stories straight. He wonders what 'surprise' awaits them, which Janet wants so much and Magenta is so sure he'll hate. Guiltily, he hopes it won't be too conspicuous. Both women seem to hold it as something special. Brad holds Janet from behind, flattening her hair down, hoping that when the time comes for her big reveal that he can be understanding about it.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Rocky Horror isn't mine, Richard O'Brien is responsible, so don't come to me with your therapy bills! Seriously though, don't sue me.

The next day, Brad half-takes his supervisor's advice and decides to go in to work a couple hours late. He sleeps in until 9, waking up to find Magenta—no, Janet—he corrects himself, curled up next to him in her pink pjs. Unsure of whether she was drawn to him for security or for his body heat, he caresses her shoulders with a sleepy smile. He slips his hands up her back, under her top, and with a jolt in his stomach his hands touch rough raised flesh—scar tissue. Brad utters a curse under his breath, gently stroking the areas where Frank's whip had struck. Guiltily, he recalls he had been in the elevator with Riff-Raff and Frank during a 'discipline session', and hadn't said a word. That could have been him and Janet; he suspects it _would_ have been them if they had had to stay any longer. And it was at Riff-Raff and Magenta's hands that they'd escaped. Brad sighs heavily, wishing he could forget that _that night_ had ever happened. It seemed that ever since the fateful day of his proposal, his life had been turned inside out. His fiancé is an alien; impossibly enough, she's also temporarily her own sister. Perhaps by the end of the week they'd be set right. He'd noticed throughout the previous day that Magenta seemed to be suffering some residual effects of bearing Janet's identity: being embarrassingly drawn to him against her will. It had taken just one day for Brad to become fond of his new future sister-in-law, but he sincerely hopes that the side-effect won't be permanent and she'll go back to abhorring him in peace.

He hops out of bed and, without thinking, pulls open the curtain. Sunlight blazes in, drawing a screech of protest from the nocturnal young woman in his bed. While she struggles to cocoon herself in the covers, he quickly corrects his error and draws the curtains closed again. Sensing that the wretched light was gone, Janet peeks out, opens her eyes and gazes up at him admiringly.

"It's okay, I'm avake," she assures him. She groans softly, bringing a hand to her mouth, remembering. She runs her hand through Magenta's coarse red frizz, softly uttering "Damn." Brad kisses her forehead and heads for the shower.

As he gets nearer the bathroom, he hears the sound of a blow-dryer in use. He opens the door, and beholds Janet—no, _Magenta_—he reminds himself, this is confusing! She stands there, eyes wide with surprise. Magenta had successfully scorched her hair into a more familiar texture, and her eyes are heavily lined with black. The next thing he notices, he almost mistakes for more heavy-handed makeup application. She looks pale and translucent, like she'd just given blood. Seeing her like this unnerves Brad a little, their resemblance is obviously a stronger one than either had anticipated.

"Sorry! Um, you all right?" He asks. She nods, calming down after the initial shock. "It's just that…you don't look so good. But… that's how you're supposed to look, isn't it?" He continues, remembering the changes both women predicted.

"It's just begun," she explains, "it will probably become more pronounced." Magenta stands there, fidgeting a little, giving him an odd look, halfway between attraction and repulse. Brad shuffles off to the side, giving her room to get out. She goes through the doorway, but puts her hand on the door, stopping him closing it, looking like she wants to say something. She can't seem to form her thoughts into words, though, and simply brushes her hand against his cheek with a languid smile before turning and leaving him alone, suddenly looking embarrassed.

In the kitchen she meets up with the others, who are taking stock of the pantry. When Janet looks up and sees Magenta's new makeover, she is not happy.

"Vhat did you do??" Janet demands, striding over in sudden fury. "You've ruined my hair, I such had nice hair! Brad's going to kill me! I'll tell Mother, just watch me!"

The threat of calling their mother over this opens Magenta's eyes wide, "You wouldn't! Brad saw it, he didn't seem to mind," she defends herself coolly, arms folded across her chest. "If it bothers you that much, I'll fix it before we change back. I'm just trying to…make the reflection closer to normal."

Janet sighs, backing off, "I can understand that, just use a conditioner on it tonight, all right? How…how do you feel?" The both join Riff in trying to come up with something for breakfast.

"I've been feeling really funny since yesterday. It's like going through puberty in fast-forward" She sits down, watching the others' progress, "Does Mother faint, too?"

Janet looks up from cracking eggs, looking puzzled, "Once in a vhile, she does. Vhy?"

"Your blood," Riff-Raff answers, "Earthlings seem to have iron-based blood, and it seems neither of you were able to adapt to produce the mineral yourselves."

"Ve vere both on supplements," Janet agrees, "the school nurse said I was anemic."

Brad emerges, just hearing the tail end of the conversation, "So that's how you got out of gym. Hey, I'll see you guys after work. Just be good, okay?"

Magenta breaks into an idiotic grin when Brad looks at her, backs into her brother to steady her resolve. "Riff, help me."

"For pity's sake, Magenta, pull yourself together," Riff-Raff mutters in disgust, holding her around the middle, giving her a vampire kiss on the neck.

She makes a soft, pleasurable sound at the attention he's giving her. "I can't help it. Remember when we were kids, back home?"

"Gods, you're not _that_ bad, are you?"

"I _told_ you it's like puberty," she reminds him, turning to face him, encouraging his touch.

Waving at him from the other side of the room, Janet blows Brad a kiss with a sultry smile, and he's gone

At work, word had gotten around that Brad and Janet had been mugged at knifepoint a few nights ago, and had needed time off to recover from the shock. Naturally, when he arrived at 10:30 that morning everyone was surprised to see him. Everyone had been asked not to mention the ordeal, but that doesn't stop curious stares from lingering on him all day. Things went fairly uneventfully all day, and soon it was time for a lunch break. At noon Brad joins a few coworkers at a nearby diner, and after they place their orders someone finally dares to ask about what happened.

"So, the boss said you two were attacked Monday night, is that true?"

Brad fiddles with his glass, avoiding eye-contact, "Uh, yeah, that's right."

"So how'd you get away?"

"Huh? Oh, we were lucky, I guess." Lucky, he thinks, remembering Magenta's rather dramatic declaration at their first meeting, how right she was. "Janet and I had unexpected help," Brad explains, hoping it will be enough.

"Yeah? Who saved you?" The promise of a good story draws quite a crowd around him. He looks around at his audience, taking in their expectant looks. He can see them shiver with…well, you know.

Brad figures it would be prudent to keep it as close to the truth as he can. He'd hoped to let Janet be the one to come up with a cover story, but it doesn't look like he has much choice at the moment. "Well, you know Janet's not originally from here, right? Her family…immigrated here just before she started high school. Anyway, with all the red tape involved, she and her mother were taken somewhere and her brother and sister ended up…someplace else. They haven't seen each other in ten years, and we all just sort of ran into each other that night. They helped us get away; they're staying at my place until we can make…other arrangements."

"Wow, that's amazing, Brad! Did they all know each other?"

"No, not at first. They thought so, but they weren't 100 sure until later. You can imagine everyone's surprise." Brad inwardly congratulates himself on his ability to blend fact and fiction on the spot.

"Must've been kismet or something, fate. Does their mom know yet? Does she even know these other two are alive?"

"No, not yet, it's all happened really suddenly, and it was a pretty traumatic ordeal for everyone. I just want to wait for the weekend, wait till the dust settles, you know?"

After work that afternoon, Brad takes a detour downtown to a ladies' boutique. After selecting a large black and silver umbrella he peruses the accessories for sunglasses. His lost look of uncertainty draws the attention of a sales clerk. She walks up to him with a friendly smile.

"Looking for something special, Brad?"

"I'm looking for a pair of sunglasses, for Janet. They've…got to be perfect."

She suppresses a smirk at the strangeness of his request, his straight-faced seriousness. "In winter?"

"I know it's not the right time of year, but you must have some left around here. Please, it's very important."

"I'll look. Are you two planning a trip?"

"No, but…see, Janet's got…kind of a condition. It's taken a while to crop up, but…anyway, she's been getting a bit light-sensitive."

The sales clerk quirks an eyebrow at this, "That's weird, is it genetic?"

Brad breathes a sigh of relief that he doesn't have to disguise the truth for this answer. "Yeah, it runs in her family. The light hurts her eyes, so I thought if she'll have to wear them all the time they should at least be pretty ones."

"Poor thing, I'll see what I can do. There should be some in the back left from summer; you should get a good deal on them, anyway."

"Thanks for your help."

Brad had barely gotten in the door at home, when he gets pounced upon by a very exuberant Transylvanian woman.

"Guess who," she poses.

Surprisingly quick on the uptake, Brad knows at once what this must mean. "You're--" he stammers, pointing at the newly-restored Magenta, who nods vigorously. "Then he--", more nodding, "When?"

She does a little twirl in place, as though modeling for him, dressed once more in her usual black. She keeps touching her hands, arms and face, as though reassuring herself everything is as she left it. "Not long; an hour, maybe. I feel so much better. All that silly slush is over at least." It definitely shows, her body-carriage is much more relaxed, and she no longer gazes at him with a lovesick expression.

"That's a relief. Where's Janet? I've got something for her."

"Still in your room, she's taking a little longer to get used to it." Brad then pulls Magenta into a sudden tight hug and spins her around the floor, causing her to draw a quick gasp. When they stop she takes a few steps back, looking alarmed and unsure of what she thinks of his familiarity.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you, but this is just great!"

Magenta looks up at him falteringly, then flicks him a shadow of a smile, "Yes, ve'll be out in a little vhile. I'll get her ready for you."

She returns to Brad's room and finds Janet staring at her naked body in the full-length mirror, it's obvious she'd recently taken a bath; her hair falls in soft curls once more. Janet touches herself experimentally, as though beholding a stranger. As she runs her hands over her body, flashes of physical memory assault her mind, memories of lovemaking she'd never been a part of. Arms, chest, midriff, legs; all bear silent memory to her lover's touch. Her breath comes shakily, amazed. Although she and Brad were engaged to be married, she'd never stopped to think what he thought of her physically. Bringing her hands around down her back and over her buttocks, she flushes lilac, pondering how satisfied he'd been with her. Her very skin testifies to the tenderness of Brad's touch; the thought of it brings Janet to a state of earnest arousal, even amid her sensation of displacement. They'd been _with_ each other, but not truly _with_ one another, it's a difficult idea to come to terms with. He must've been pleased, Janet thinks with a touch of pride; Magenta had told her how he'd held her afterwards. Frank hadn't held her, she recalls. He'd only stayed long to satisfy himself, leaving her hanging on the edge, and then he was off. Off to Brad's room; a shudder passes over her.

The door closes, bringing Janet's attention back to the here and now. "Magenta, I didn't hear you come in. How long have you been here?"

"Long enough. Come on; let's get you dressed. You look much better than before, don't you think?"

Janet inspects her face more closely, taking in her more pallid complexion. She'd seen it creeping up on Magenta all day, before Riff had changed them back. Still, it was a shock to see it looking back at her through the glass. "Better," she agrees, simply. So much has changed, Janet contemplates, she isn't even the same species as she was the last time she saw her own face in the mirror. A flutter of excitement, discovery, escalates within her until she laughs out loud in sheer excitement. There's a feeling that she's somehow set out on a journey, a path flanked with numerous possibilities. She faces her sister again, her eyes alight, and nods. "Let's get to work. I want to be perfect for when Brad sees me."

Out in the front entrance, Brad hangs up his jacket, humming an upbeat tune under his breath. He'd managed to invent an excuse for Janet and her family, the car was back from the shop, everyone was back to normal (more or less), all was right with the world.

"I think you should know she's changed."

Brad looks up, Riff-Raff had crept silently into the room and stood, regarding him suspiciously.

"Uh, yeah. Magenta just told me. Great job getting them fixed so fast."

"I don't mean 'changed back'! I mean, Janus has changed, Janet has…oh, how can I make you understand? Earthling," Riff huffs in frustration, his forced calm threatening to give way. "You'd better be worthy. I hope you are, for her sake," he demands cryptically. "She has led two lives up to now." To illustrate this point he holds up one finger on each hand, holding them about a foot apart. "Janus McKinley of Transexual, Janet Weiss of Earth. Understand? Each life has been, up to now, separate from and unaware of the other. Now, recent events have conspired to make these two lives intersect." He brings his hands together till his fingers are touching vertically. "Now, I don't expect it to be an easy process for her, to reconcile these parts of herself. You remember her little number during the Master's 'floorshow'. It had already begun, even then. You can't ask her to deny that side of herself. The last thing she needs is for you to run screaming into the night." Brad nods stiffly. "Hopefully, if all goes well, she will change her name once last time, and she will be known by this third name by those she knew in either of her previous 'lives'."

"Why does she have to change her name again?"

Riff raises an eyebrow at him, "As far as I know Earth customs, I assumed you'd expect her to. You weren't expecting her to change it?"

Brad is clearly lost, "No, I don't…think so anyway. What's she going to be now?" Immediately after asking, it dawns on him. "My name…you mean when we get married, she'll take my last name…right?"

"Gods, if you're this slow it's a wonder she can stand you. Yes, that's what I mean. And another warning for you, her transformation is complete. Or very nearly, at least. Whatever she looks like when she comes out, you _will not_ wear that stupid horrified expression! Janus is my sister. I couldn't protect her from Doctor Scott's 'tender mercies', I couldn't protect her from the Master's coercion, but I _will not_ allow her heart to be broken by some stupid, under evolved alien being who dazzled her with a bit of shiny rock!"

He now has Brad satisfactorily intimidated, and both parties know it. Cautiously, and fearing instant retribution, Brad hazards an inquiry:

"H-how does she look?"

Riff-Raff shrugs, "Like one of us, you'll see shortly. Magenta is making her pretty for you."

Running a hand over his face, once more, wondering what he's gotten himself into, Brad walks up to his closed bedroom door with Riff-Raff skulking close behind him. Magenta must have just revealed to Janet that her fiancé was home, for both men suddenly hear a shrill shriek:

"Now? Gods, I can't…what'll he…? He can't see me like _this_ he'll be scared to death! What was I thinking? He couldn't possibly…Gods, 'Genta, look at me, just look at me! I look…I'm…I'm…"

"You look beautiful, Janus, don't be ridiculous. If Majors can't see that, then qvite frankly, you deserve better." With that, the door is flung open and Janet is shoved out unceremoniously. She barely catches her balance in time to avoid falling straight into Brad. Shock distorts both of their expressions, Janet looks like she's ready to run and hide rather than stand in his presence looking "like this".

"Whoa," Brad whispers, looking at her up and down. She'd changed, all right. In less than 6 hours she'd completely metamorphosed into her Transylvanian self: her skin is the pale purity of moonlight; her eyes appear to change color in the light, flicking from honey-golden to mahogany. Even her hair seems to glisten, although Brad attributes that to Magenta's ministrations. And on that note… she hadn't been painted like a harlequin mask, as Frank had done to her, and Brad can now gather some more typical insight to Transexual standards of beauty. Her lips had been lacquered in crimson; her eyelids, which were delicately lined in the gold-flecked-black color of pyrite, were shadowed in a dusky purple, and her cheekbones had been rouged in a similar stormy shade. She's wearing a dress Brad had never seen her wear before: green crushed velvet, knee-length, with cap sleeves. It had a strangely deliberate ragged look, as though the dressmaker had ripped and torn the fabric rather than cut it with conventional means. Once the shock was over, the whole effect is one of otherworldly beauty, like a spring flower touched by a late frost. He then notices they're standing nearly eye to eye, and looks down at her black stilettos. Brad marvels at her ability to keep her balance from such a precarious height.

Janet stands before him, shaking with nerves, as though she expects Brad to pass judgment upon her. Magenta steps out now as well, and sees they're both stunned into silence.

"Don't you think she looks pretty, Majors?" She prompts pointedly. "The dress used to be Mother's; she'd wear it if she was called upon for a formal event. It suits her, doesn't it?" When this yields no response, she turns to Janet, who is slouching back with fearful, downcast eyes. Magenta scowls at her as though disgusted. She claps her hands sharply, "Straighten up! Eyes, front, shoulders back! Vhat vould the others think of you? You'd be disowned and sent away for looking like that! Shame!" Janet reacts, instantly obeying the commands. "Better," Magenta allows, "Now hold." She now turns back to Brad, trying again. "Now, how do you like it?"

Stammering the whole time, Brad nods, "Y-yes, I…she looks…fine! She's just so…so…wow," he blunders incoherently.

"At ease," Magenta sighs, and Janet falls straight into Brad's arms.

"It's alright? Really? You don't mind?" Janet gasps, a relieved smile spreading across her face.

"It's all right, really," he affirms, brushing her hair back, taking in her face with a stifled sob, "Oh, god it's really you!" He pulls her in tighter, crushing her body into his and he kisses her soundly again and again. Riff-Raff and Magenta sidestep out of the way to avoid getting inadvertently harmed. Brad finally eases Janet back, "Let me, let me look at you. Dammit, I missed you. You look…different. A lot different. But good." He ineloquently admires her. By now Janet is weeping through nervous giggles, getting a disapproving look from her brother.

"Come now, Janus, don't cry like that. You'll run all over." Magenta then glides over to her brother, slips her hand in his, twining their fingers together with a significant look. An eye-gesture or two and a comprehending smile between them and they abandon the hall for their room, where they can celebrate their "reunion" in private.


	10. Chapter 10: Surprises

**Disclaimer: RHPS belongs to RO'B, for which we are all eternally grateful. I'm just doing this for fun, and because it keeps me sane inside insanity.**

**A/N: Long chapter this time, hope you don't mind! Also, caution: M-rated material suggested ahead.**

Janet still can't believe he's taking her sudden change so well, "It really doesn't bother you? You don't think I look…scary?"

Brad flinches when she reminds him of his previous assessment of Transylvanian women, "I was prepared for this, you told me it would happen. Here, come out to the living room, I got something for you."

"Really?" Janet allows him to lead her out of the shadows into the living room, although Janet cringes when they step into the sunlight. Some age-old instinct that the sun was to be feared had awakened in her.

"It's nothing big, don't get too excited. I'm just glad I got them today. I had good timing, from the looks of things." He hands her the large pink shopping bag from the boutique as they sit together on the couch. The first thing Janet takes out from the nest of rustling tissue paper is the umbrella. She smiles broadly in sheer wonderment, her genuine pleasure evident on her face. Ignoring superstition, she opens it, standing up to model it for him. She twirls it over her shoulder, with still and silent thrill.

"It's beautiful…beautiful!" Janet breathes, "You remembered…this is the most thoughtful gift anyone's ever given me." She leans over him on the couch, holding the umbrella over them both, and kisses him deeply. Brad is surprised by the extent of her thanks, but still allows himself to be lured in with a short dose of Transylvanian charm. Janet pulls away too soon for Brad's tastes, but after he shakes off the effects he holds the bag open for her again.

"There's something else, too. Sort of goes with the first one."

Her eyes brighten, as though surprised that there could possibly be more to follow. She closes the umbrella and sits back down next to him, reaching into the proffered bag; she feels her hand close on cool metal-trimmed plastic. Her face becomes unreadable as she draws out her hand. She stares at them silently, as though she expects them to bite her. Janet unfolds the earpieces; looks through the large, broad darkened lenses; the burnished gilt frames gleam softly in the fading sunlight.

Brad watches her drawn-out reaction, unsure of what it means. She looks puzzled, almost horrified! Her breathing is sharp, hiccupping gasps, and she keeps looking from the sunglasses to Brad through a steady stream of tears.

'Dammit, what have I done now?' He thinks to himself, 'I should've just let her pick some out. What if I've insulted her?'

"Look, Janet, I'm sorry, I just…thought you'd…I know they clash with the…I'm sorry, I thought…they'd look nice next to your hair, that's all. Last night…it hurt your eyes and…I wanted them to be nice. They're a bit… gaudy, but…the others, at the castle…"

Janet silences his floundering with a soft, light kiss. She smiles in sheer bliss and slides on her new sunglasses. She appears unable to speak for happiness, and simply presses her body into his with a content sigh.

Brad hugs her, completely thrown off, "You like them, then? I was worried you'd gotten the wrong idea."

Janet feels her sunglasses start to slip and quickly adjusts them, a gesture she'd seen from Brad many times. She giggles at their new similarity, flashing him a sultry smile that suggested she could think of nothing sexier than being like him in this way. Janet slips into his lap, bringing her face close to his until their frames touch, leaving no question of how pleased she is.

Brad draws away suddenly, taken aback by her forward demeanor. He is by no means repulsed; he just isn't sure what to do with her. He isn't used to her taking such an upper hand. He remembered Magenta's warning of an increased sex-drive, and he'd seen evidence of it before, but not yet while Janet was herself. Janet stands up with a confused frown; standing over him for just a split-second before her high-heeled shoes betray her, causing her to topple over back onto a retreating Brad. Giving him a rather wistful smile, she brushes a hand against his cheek. Once more she seems to have difficulty breathing, splaying her other hand over her chest as though she has a pain there. He looks up at her, not sure what to make of the situation.

"I'm all right, Brad," she soothes, struggling to find the right words, "Thank you, so much." The way it comes out, he somehow knows that isn't what she's trying to say.

"You're sure you're okay?" Brad takes hold of her shoulders and helps them both sit up.

Janet nods, "What was wrong? Did I scare you?"

"Just a little," he answers honestly, "I'm just not used to this…side of you, I guess. We're both still learning. I'm glad you like your presents, I hope they're what you need."

She nods again, reassured that she didn't give him too much of a fright. She feels her frames slip again and nudges them back up her nose, drawing Brad's attention, who adjusts his by reflex. "They'll…do that, sorry." He looks apologetic for giving her this new affliction. He's surprised by how happy she looks, drawing simple pleasure from sharing this trait with him.

"I don't mind it, really." Janet slips off her shoes and stands up, opening her umbrella again to show off the whole effect. Seeing her like this makes Brad realize how very much a night-creature she is. It also brings it to his attention that'd he'd already accepted it, by protecting her from the sun. Brad stares up at her as she strikes a pose, silhouetted by the setting sun. His eyes go unfocussed as he becomes lost in thought. Unaware of himself, he quietly speaks his thoughts out loud:

"Everything's so different now. This is it; I'm in love with a woman from another planet. Can this work? Will we be able to pull this off? How can we keep people from talking? What do we do about their mother, will she even remember? Believe us? It might be too late for her. I don't know how much more I can take; this is all happening so fast! So beautiful, but so strange…I'm afraid."

"Me, too," Janet agrees somberly, turning her eyes to him as he snaps out of his trance. He looks startled, realizing that he'd been voicing his worries to the last person he wanted to hear them. "It's all right, Brad. You don't think I'm afraid? Of this?" She gestures down at herself. "It's like…I'm two different people, I'm not sure who I am. I'm not the child who left Transexual all those years ago…but I'm not…I mean…what if I'm not the person you proposed to anymore?"

Brad stands, closes the distance between them in two steps. "Janet…" he sighs, taking her into his arms. "We can do this. Trust me?"

She nods, hope returning, "You're right, though. So much has changed. I don't know what to do."

"Riff-Raff said your changes should be complete, what do you think?"

Janet nods, "I think this is it. Is it all right?"

It was exactly as Riff-Raff had warned him. She was faced with reconciling two separate, possibly conflicting lives. From the looks of things, it was no picnic. Her brother was right; she desperately needs him to not make things worse by overreacting. If he drops the ball now, it's over.

"I'm not afraid of _you_, you know," he reminds her, trying to find the right thing to say, but unsure what exactly he _was_ afraid of.

"I know," Janet whispers, looking rather choked-up. Her breathing becomes labored again, and she keeps feeling her chest as though trying to detect her heartbeat. "Oh, Brad…" she sighs.

"It's going to be fine, you'll see. Why don't you go show off a little?" he looks in the direction of Riff-Raff and Magenta's room.

Janet nods, holding his hand between hers, "It's still me; it's still us. Don't forget that, okay?"

"I hope I don't."

She's practically skipping the whole way to Riff-Raff and Magenta's room; she knocks on the door and calls in, "Magenta, Riff! Come out and see what Brad got me!"

Inside they lay cuddled together in bed. Riff-Raff sits up with a sigh, "Well, we wanted her back," he sighs, sounding a trifle annoyed.

"I forgot vhat a little tagalong she vas," Magenta agrees, but also getting up. "We'll finish up later." Riff murmurs a noncommittal agreement, kissing her on the wrist. They get dressed and come out to the living room, where Janet is posing by the window again. The two look at each other with a flick of their eyebrows, then turn and face Brad together with identical appraising looks.

"It appears we underestimated you," Riff-Raff allows.

"Yes, vhat made you think of doing this?" Magenta wants to know. "Did you have help?"

"Uh, well, I needed help finding the sunglasses, but no one really _told_ me to, I just did. I…didn't want her to burn up in the sun."

Something in his remark softens Magenta's expression, as though that were the sweetest thing anyone could have done in his position. "So she can go out in the daytime…" she suspires.

Riff looks up and down at his youngest sister, "You could be one of the master's guests, looking like that. No one will mistake you for an Earthling again."

This comment, which was meant well enough, grabs Brad's attention, reminding him how precarious their situation is, trying to keep incognito to avoid capture. What if he's right? What if people in town are more in the know than they let on? With a self-disgusted groan Brad recalls his story-telling at the neighborhood diner, practically shouting from the rooftops where to find Janet and her family. If the wrong person had been listening, it could be disastrous.

"Hey, guys, are…any of your…people…out in the open?"

Magenta looks at him, puzzled, "Vhat do you mean?"

"Do you know if anyone here in town knows there are aliens in the area?"

Riff-Raff and Magenta's eyes meet significantly; Janet faces Brad, her expression demanding "What have you done?"

"As far as I know, we don't reveal ourselves to the planet's natives. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if the master used it as a way to chat up the locals. Of course none of them ever left…alive. Did you say anything to anyone?" Riff asks.

"Nothing blatant, I just…mentioned to a few folks downtown that you two were separated from Janet when you were kids and now you're all staying at my place."

"Did you mention names? Did you give any details?" Magenta needs to know.

"I didn't give them names or say where you were from, I just told them Janet immigrated here with her family and you and Riff-Raff got lost in the shuffle. Word at the office was that we were jumped in the street and so I wove you into the story that you rescued us…which is kinda true, actually. If it weren't for you we'd still probably be stuck there."

Riff-Raff and Magenta look at each other again, weighing out what he'd said, combing through the message for possible security breaches. "But did you say anything about the castle?"

"No, of course not! I didn't tell them what really happened; I'd have to be crazy! That's all I said, I swear. I was just thinking about what you said, about Janet not getting mistaken for an Earthling. It made me think that maybe regular people in town might tag her as a Transylvanian."

With one last look at her brother, Magenta sighs, "The vorst you've done is tell them vhere to find us, but as long as no von suspects ve should be safe. The only von who is of any concern is Doctor Scott. He knows Janus is von of us, and he saw her at the castle…but she made no sign at the time that she knew any of us, and he didn't see us leave together."

"That we know of, but can we be sure?" Brad wonders aloud. "I hope he didn't see anything, all three of you would be in danger, then."

"Four of us," Janet says softly. "You're with us, aren't you?"

Brad ignores the question uncomfortably, "I didn't see him on the way home, we'd have been going in opposite directions anyway…"

"You're with us, aren't you?" Janet demands firmly, closing her umbrella and clenching the handle until her knuckles turn white. Silence.

"I think that's enough dress-up for today," Riff abruptly changes the subject with a threatening look in Brad's direction. "Better get out of that dress; wouldn't want to ruin it."

Janet goes back to Brad's room to change; Brad dashes a few steps to catch up, takes her by the arm and whispers to her, "Of course I'm with you."

She seems unconvinced. Once they're safely in shadow she slides her sunglasses down her nose. She looks at him over the tops of the frames, appraising, "Are you?"

"Yes, I promise. You just…put me on the spot there."

"And you hesitated, Brad! What if we're discovered? Whose side would you choose then?"

Hearing it like this makes Brad feel sick; he'd as good as denied ties to them. "I'm sorry," he sighs, "What other side could I be on? If our cover gets blown…we all go together. Four of us."

"I hope so, Brad. I want to believe you. I just worry about you, you in relation to us. Like what you were saying earlier, about how you're not sure how much more you can take. I don't want to scare you off, and I don't know what _they_ would do if you let them down. Especially Magenta." She leans in and whispers, "She loves you. It would kill her." They enter his room and he sits on the bed while she changes.

"And then Riff-Raff would kill me."

"Probably. Think of how lonely it must've been for them, locked away in that awful place. It's natural that she would take to you. Try and get to know, Riff, too. I know he's not as…approachable, but just try." She pulls on a pair of jeans and a pink floral blouse, pulling her hair out of her collar.

"Both of us had to grow up without parents," Brad admits, "He had to be mother, father, brother, and lover to Magenta for all this time; I didn't even have anyone to look after. I would've killed for a sister or brother to stick by me like that."

"I thought you were twins?" Janet asks.

Brad shakes his head with a weak smile, "_I'm_ not twins. I _had_ a twin once…he got sent to a different home. They changed our names; I don't know whatever happened to him. I barely remember him."

Janet sits next to him, rubs shoulders with him, "Now we all might have a family."

"That's what I told Magenta yesterday. I told her I never had one, not one that I have any meaningful memory of anyway, so it would be great if we could…be that for each other. She called me her brother." He turns and faces Janet, taking in the sight of her in "human" clothes now. Riff-Raff was right; nobody could ignore the change that had taken place. He reaches over and slides her sunglasses down again; she lets him, knowing he must need to see her eyes. Her expression slides into an automatic smile when she sees him unfiltered in the dimming twilight.

"What?" He asks, unsure of what apparently pleases her so much.

"You. Just you," is all she says in reply, removing her sunglasses and leaning in for a deep kiss.

After Brad gets over the surprise of her sudden romantic outburst, he goes along with it, letting her influence take hold of him to the exclusion of all else. He slips a hand between them and unbuttons her blouse. Janet giggles in anticipation and helps him, slipping out of her jeans as quickly as she'd put them on. Brad backs up along the bed; she creeps up on him, bringing his hands up to touch her naked body. He slides his hands over her skin--he'd somehow expected her to be cold--and is pleased to find she remains warm and alive despite her nocturnal nature. She begins helping him out of his clothes, too. You wouldn't know that until recently neither one had any experience in lovemaking, the only evidence of that would be their surprised gasps of pleasure and shrieks of laughter as they become acquainted with this aspect of each other. They roll over, Brad on top now, and they slither beneath the covers. Experimentally, Brad traces his fingers into Janet's ribs, and is rewarded with a shrill squeal which tapers into a low cackle of depravity. She squirms, putting forth a mock effort to get away. Encouraged, Brad shifts on top of her and is blasted into submission by a larger dose of Transylvanian Love Potion #9. Janet drags him back down, their bodies flush with each other; refining her control over this strange gift of hers. She keeps a clear head through it all, giggling softly at Brad's helpless state. They flip over again, with Janet in the dominant position while Brad willingly submits.

"Toucha-toucha-toucha-touch me," she whispers in his ear, and then kisses his chest, guiding his hands over her body. He mindlessly obeys; his brain in a pleasantly warm fog. With a quirk of her eyebrows and a wicked grin, Janet removes his pants and briefs.

All she does for nearly half a minute is stare at it. She looks back up at Brad, and relinquishes her sway over him. He snaps out of it in a few seconds and takes in Janet's puzzled expression. Her eyes flick rapidly between him and his groin, utterly speechless.

Brad finds himself equally wrong-footed, resisting the urge to cover up. "Janet…?" he groans, in growing discomfort and tension. It suddenly hits him that this was her first time with him, and she is consequently a little nervous.

Janet creeps back up the bed, unable to look him in the eye. To her horror she realizes what she had almost done: clouded his mind with her impenetrable charm and taken advantage of him just as Frank had done.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she gasps.

"Do you…want to?" Brad grunts, helplessly.

Janet cringes, shaking her head with a horrified expression. Memories of her time with Frank overwhelm her and she is struck by a sudden wave of nausea. Back on her side of the bed, she pulls the covers up past her waist, reaching over to stroke his arm gently as she fights back tears.

"I'm sorry," she repeats, "I don't know what's wrong."

Brad winces, trying to think of something else and comfort Janet at the same time. "It's all right, really. I should've expected something like this."

Janet rests her head against her knees, covering her eyes and shivering. Several minutes creep by in silence before she dares ask, "Is it gone?"

"Yeah."

She peeks through her fingers to see for herself. "I'm so sorry."

Brad finally breeches the subject they've been avoiding since this whole thing began: "Did he hurt you?"

Janet shakes her head abruptly, "No, I…wanted it then. It was wrong, I _knew_ it was wrong! But…I let him. Afterwards, it was so strange…I felt…changed somehow. I wasn't proud of myself. All I wanted was to take it back and have it not happen…but another part of me liked it. He'd shown me something I'd never had before, and I didn't know how to cope with it. When he finished, he just left, like it didn't matter to him. He got what he wanted and disappeared."

"Not all he wanted," Brad utters in an undertone.

Janet cuddles up to him with a sympathetic look. She turns his question back to him. "Did he hurt you?" She looks inexplicably guilty about this, worried that her failure to satisfy Frank had caused Brad pain.

"We don't have to talk about this."

She stands firm, "Yes we do." When he ignores her, she changes tactics. "He was good, wasn't he? He took you places you'd never imagined."

"Janet!"

"Well?"

Brad looks at her, there's no hint of blame on her face, only concern. "I don't…he didn't…it wasn't my…I'm not, Janet, I'm not!" He suddenly curls up into himself, shaking with sobs. "He tricked me, he just…and I couldn't resist…I'm not…I'm not _gay_, Janet!"

"Of course you're not. Is that what you were worried about?" He nods, still unable to face her. "Brad, where I come from there's nothing wrong with…experimenting. Besides, you've seen the way we've blurred the lines between male and female, it's hard to tell sometimes."

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" Brad mumbles, his face still hidden against his knees. Janet rubs his shoulders.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No."

"Did he…please you? Did you…you know?"

After a silence so long Janet was afraid he was ignoring her again, she gets an answer, "Yes," he admits softly, ashamedly.

"Me, too. But I love you, Brad." He looks up at her, her eyes glisten with tears of sympathy. "When…should we have the wedding?"

Brad laughs sharply, shaking off the awkward silence. "The wedding," he repeats, "after the way we behaved that night…"

"Do you still want to marry me?" Janet asks, suddenly fearful.

"Of course I do! I just…Why would you want to marry a guy like me? I'm not rich, and never will be, I'm not even good-looking."

"You've got lovely legs, Brad. You really ought to show them off more," she informs him. From the look on her face, he can tell she's envisioning him in fishnet stockings and stiletto heels.

"Huh? What?" He flounders, looking at her quizzically. "You…think so?" He had never considered how attracted to him she was. In all the time they'd spent together, it had never really come up in serious conversation.

Janet cuddles up to him again, straddling him, her chest against his. "I think you're beautiful," she soothes sensually. "So, when's the wedding?"

Brad gasps heavily, taken aback by her sudden sexual advance and unexpected compliments. "'Beautiful'?" he repeats, unable to believe it. The thought of her genuine attraction and devotion have an arousing effect, and before he realizes it—

"Oh!" Janet gasps, glancing down between their legs, her face flushed with lavender. She looks at him with wide-eyed surprise, but with none of the fear from last time. She scoots out of his lap, and neither one speaks for a minute. Finally, Janet lies down in a submissive posture, with one last look of nervousness she whispers, "Careful, Brad." She slips off her panties and strokes her own thighs invitingly. "Just…be careful."

"W-what? Careful?"

She reaches for his hand, gives it a squeeze, "Gently…please."

Several hours later, they both lie sleeping…until a soft vibrating sensation awakens Brad. He's curled up around Janet, who looks immensely satisfied with the 'nest' she's found. Brad props himself up on his elbow, looking around for the source of the sound. Janet lets out a soft sigh of content, bringing his focus down to her, and he realizes that _she_ is the source! There, next to him, in his bed, Brad Majors' fiancée is purring. He stares, strangely horrified by this realization. Placing a hand against her back, he feels as well as hears it grow louder beneath his touch. Fighting to breathe regularly, Brad gives her shoulder a shake, hoping that she will stop once she's awake. Janet murmurs a protest, scooting backwards into the curve of his body. Brad has none of this: he leaps out of bed and turns on a lamp.

"Brad…what? What's the matter, darling?" She asks, feeling around blindly for her sunglasses. With a shaking hand, Brad holds them out to her, tapping them into her groping hands. "Mm, thank you," she says groggily. She slips them on and looks up at him. "What's wrong?" She asks, creeping across his side of the bed. As though crossing an invisible barrier, once she and Brad are inches away from each other she begins purring again. She gasps, placing a hand to her chest, her face alight with surprise and delight.

"You're purring!" Brad splutters, as one who has reached the end of his rope and can take no more. She looks back at him, and all he can think is how alien she is at this moment. Having to wear sunglasses in the house, pale as the specter of death, steadily purring at him and looking perfectly happy about it. Alien, alien; unbidden, the word throbs throughout his conscious mind.

"Oh, Brad…" she breathes dreamily, reaching out to him as he shrinks away. "It's all right, come closer. Feel this!" She grabs for his hand but he quickly pulls out of reach. He stumbles backwards, almost losing his balance with every step, undirected fear etching his every feature. "Stay back! Don't come any closer," he warns. "That…that's coming out of you?!"

Janet nods, cupping her hands reverently over her chest, as though cupping the flame of a candle to keep it from going out. Now she realizes that this isn't going over as well as she'd hoped. "I wasn't sure it would be possible," she admits softly, beginning to feel the sharp sting of rejection.

"You never said anything about _this_ happening! You told me everything you expected to change has changed! That's it, end of story! I can handle all the…light business and your…well, you know. What the hell do you call this?"

Janet looks up at him, thoroughly heartbroken. Unable to stop herself, she breaks into heavy sobs. So complete is her misery that she can't resist giving voice to it. She gets out of bed and gets dressed.

In Riff-Raff and Magenta's room, they suddenly snap to attention.

"Brother, do you hear that?"

"Crying. I'll kill him."

"I should go. I've imposed on your hospitality long enough, haven't I? I need to get back to my apartment anyway," she says, half to herself. She packs up her few articles in her overnight bag.

"Dammit, answer me! What do you call this?!"

She turns to face him, silent tears running down her face. Before she can answer, Riff and Magenta let themselves in. When they get close enough to their sister to hear the now ragged-sounding vibrations in her chest, their first impulse is to leave and not intrude further on their private moment. Realizing that things have gone awry, however, they look between the couple with questioning eyes.

"Vell, you can't say I didn't varn you, Majors. I told you you'd hate her surprise."

"Surprise?"

Riff stalks up to him and kicks him in the shin, "Bet you didn't like that surprise, either." Brad yells and hops on his other foot, cursing fluently under his breath. Riff winds up and punches him in the jaw, knocking him to the floor and shocking Janet into action.

"Don't, stop it!" she cries, struggling against Magenta, who is restraining her. "Don't hurt him."

"He's disgraced you! He should be grateful it isn't what he deserves."

Finally, Magenta lets Janet go, and she takes shaking steps towards her beloved. She kneels down next to him and helps him stand up. When she actually touches him, her purring becomes involuntarily louder. As they both stand up, he stares at her as though seeing her for the first time. He reaches out to her, stopping just short of brushing her cheek, still afraid.

"Can you make it stop?"

Janet looks up at him amid fresh tears, nodding, "Please don't make me. I want us…to at least be friends. If you won't have me."

"Friends?" Brad asks, looking over her head for direction from her siblings. They stare back at him, looking absolutely tense, waiting. Janet only sobs, reaching her hands towards his, twining their fingers, and shaking helplessly.

Riff-Raff leans in close to Magenta, "She's waiting…she can't expect him to understand, let alone know the gesture."

"He does. He's done it. He just doesn't know what it means." She whispers fiercely, inaudibly commanding Brad, "Do it, do it, you know it, so do it!"

Brad sees them conferring silently in the corner, Magenta is wringing her hands—no, pressing them together…in prayer? No…that doesn't seem right, either. Is she trying to signal him? He looks down at Janet; her purring has faded to utter silence as she stands there dejectedly before him, the single saddest thing he's ever seen in his life. Fear leaves him; the world falls away and it's just him and Janet. The girl he's known since their first day of high school; she'd tutored him in chemistry, he'd taught her how to dance; everything that's happened to them had been leading up to this moment. He has nothing to fear. Brad glances between both Transylvanian women, finally getting the hint that something important is going on here. He takes a firm hold of Janet's hands, presses his palms against hers, and to her complete surprise he pushes harder and rolls up to their elbows. With a sharp gasp her purring is reignited, her eyes wide with a soft lilac blush to her cheeks. They both stare at each other, speechless, and Janet's expression slowly changes from misery to confusion, to looking utterly elated. She stares at him, looks up at their hands, at the sign they're making. Slowly, they bring their arms back down. Janet smiles shyly with a spontaneous shriek of giggles, tilting her head down while still looking up at him. She sits down on the edge of the bed, holding a hand over her chest.

"I felt it coming ever since you came home," Janet admits, breaking the silence. "Brad, did you mean it? When you…when we…? Will you…have me?"

Brad sits next to her, taking her hand again, "_Have_ you?"

She brings his hand to her chest, letting him feel it, "This…this is how…how—we—marry." Brad's eyes go wide, replaying the whole scenario with this new knowledge in mind. He'd rejected her proposal, viciously. Of course, he had no way of knowing…then he remembers his and Magenta's conversation just last night, with the uncomfortable feeling that he'd unintentionally propositioned her.

"Janus, you fool, whatever gave you the idea to keep _that_ a secret?" Riff-Raff asks out of the blue.

Looking guiltily from her brother to her fiancé, and back again, "Riff…Father and Mother," she answers cryptically, getting a disgusted grown in response.

"Majors is not Father, and you are not Mother. They might've had the fairytale, but it doesn't happen that way with everyone! He's a human, Janus, think!" And, having had his say, he and Magenta leave.

"Don't leave, Janet," Brad requests, "Things are just happening so fast, I got scared. I don't want to lose you, or…have you become so different that I don't even know you anymore. Understand? And to have you start purring all of a sudden…it's like you're something else entirely. That's what scared me so much, I guess." He puts an arm around her and pulls her close. She moans softly, pleasurably, as she makes her love-sound for him. "What's making you do that?" Brad wants to know.

"You are. I'd…hoped you'd be able to. To make me do it, I mean."

He listens, pressing his ear against her chest, "I make you do that?" Janet giggles and kisses his head, running her hands over his hair. He straightens up, tracing her face delicately. "I'll have you, of course I'll have you," he sighs. "This is it, though, right? No more surprises? You're…done? You're you now?" Janet mmhmm's and presses herself tight into his harms.

Back in their room, Riff-Raff and Magenta are pacing the floor, wondering how this latest revelation will pan out; when they hear the universe's latest inter-racial couple go back to bed amid content laughter. The look at one another, shrug, and follow suit.


	11. Made me give you the eye and then panic

Disclaimer: I don't own Rocky Horror, I think we've covered that by now, I'm just continuing on with my crazed imagination

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rocky Horror, I think we've covered that by now, I'm just continuing on with my **_**crazed**_** imagination!**

**Author's Note: Short chapter this time, sorry! Thanks to all who have stuck with me this far, it means a lot!**

Brad and Janet lie together in bed, unable to go back to sleep just yet. They're simply staring at each other in the dark. Brad reaches over and strokes her chest again to feel her purring, "Will you always do that?"

"I don't think so," she answers dreamily. "It happens when you're close, I think, and when I…when I especially_ feel_ it. You know? The first time usually lasts a while, though. I'll try not to make a spectacle of myself while we're in public. Think about it, though: if we were on Transexual right now, we'd be considered a married couple already, isn't that nice?"

"Too bad there's so much more to it around here. Your way is so much simpler. I think I can get used to this." Brad remembers how Magenta had told him that Riff-Raff thinks it's adorable. Once the shock is over, he's beginning to agree. Endearing, really. Amazing that he has this effect on her.

"I'm so glad you accepted in the end," she sighs, reminding him how close he'd come to rejecting her. "At least according to the customs here you get more of a choice in the matter. Back home you could care for some very much, but keep waiting for _this_ to happen. Then, if it happens, sometimes it's not who you'd have expected."

"So whoever makes a woman do this…they have to stay married?"

"Only until she stops…and doesn't start up again. Then it's up to them whether to stick it out or separate. It's a problem among men who love other men…there must be some kind of drug or hormone they can take to make them able to do it. Or they just do it artificially."

This piques Brad's curiosity, "So, men have made the sound before?"

Janet nods, "Possibly. I've heard rumors of them anyway."

Scooting in against her, Brad whispers into her hair, "If I were like you, it'd probably come out like a chain-saw." Janet laughs, genuinely flattered. "Earlier, when you…stopped, what did that mean?"

She looks up at the ceiling, "That we were over. I thought we were, anyway, it certainly felt like it. I'm glad you changed your mind in time."

"Me, too. I can't believe I was stupid enough to almost lose you like that. I'm sorry. Then you started again. That…gesture we made…" he lets the question hang, unsure of where he wants to go with it.

Janet picks up on what he's trying to ask, "I've already told you. 'Beyond trust, beyond love.' It says 'I'm with you forever and always'." She turns to face him, pressing her palm against his with a smile, "Always. It's for… when there's need to remind, to confirm that we're still a team. Still an 'us'. Loyalty, devotion, it's what every girl hopes for, to have _that_ with someone. As upset as I was, I couldn't say no to _that_. There isn't even a name for it, just like there's no real term for my...purring. There aren't any words big enough for what either thing means. Where I come from, just about every touch, every gesture, has a meaning." With a playful smile she brushes her fingers against Brad's cheek, sealing it with a kiss.

"Mmm, what's that mean?" Brad asks, remembering that Magenta had touched him the same way that morning.

Her purring spikes sharply, she's obviously pleased. "Beautiful," she whispers.

Brad laughs softly, positioning himself on top of her, holding himself up by arching his back. He kisses her hands, and then trumps her by drawing both of his hands down her face.

"_Very_ beautiful," he whispers, kissing her back and then lying down again. Words fail her; there is no way for her to articulate her pleasure than through keening moans, gasping for breath as though she'd escaped drowning.

"Really?" Janet asks blearily, butting herself into his body before curling up rigidly; inexplicably in the throes of ecstasy, her face wet with a sudden rush of tears. Brad nods, tracing her face. "H-how did you know?" She murmurs, "How to say it, I mean?"

Although Brad wonders whether it might eventually make her purring audible in the next room, he never pauses in his touching. He pulls more covers around them both to stop her convulsive shivering. Only then, does he answer shyly, "Lucky guess. What am I saying now?"

Janet smiles, sniffling a little, "I don't know the words, but that's not important."

"Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure I mean it."

"I'm exhausted, let's try and get some sleep. Hmm?"

"Good idea, you've had a busy day." He kisses her forehead and she closes her eyes. Her love-sound fades to a silent but steady vibration in her chest as she drifts off. Brad watches her, resisting the urge to touch her and provoke a response. It seems that everything he's done since he got home from work had either sent her shooting towards heaven or plummeting to the bowels of hell. She doesn't need any more excitement tonight.

"Brad?"

"Hmm?"

Janet brings his hand back to her chest, barely awake, "I would've done this for you earlier if I could have…I probably would have…the day we met. I knew you were the one."

Ordinarily, the gravity of her confession would've sent Brad into another fit of panic, if he wasn't so sleepy. Instead he squeezes her hand, merely flattered that she would have bound herself to him at the age of 15.

"Dr Scott did one good thing for me, anyway, he gave me you," she softly reminds him.

That night, Brad dreams, his unconscious mind revisiting his first day of high school…

_A fifteen-year old Brad is heading to his first class of the day. He's 6' tall and still growing, scrawny, geeky-looking, and dressed in second or third-hand clothes. Obviously a social misfit. A few large jocks forcibly shove him aside as they come through the door, knocking his books out of his arms and his glasses from his face. As he bends over to pick up his things he loses his balance and falls on his face. He looks up and sees a strange girl walking by stop, peering at him as though he were a curiosity. She seems hesitant, shy, but stoops down to help him. Accepting her hand, Brad wordlessly pulls himself up and begins recovering his spilled belongings, if not his pride. The girl watches him groping around helplessly for his glasses, one wrong move and he would end up breaking them. She finds his glasses on the floor and picks them up, looking at them inquisitively before sliding them back onto his face with a mute smile. Brad's vision clears, and they stare at each other, unable to speak, both of them seeming trapped in a moment of déjà vu, or perhaps destiny. Strange, he thought, is she blushing? The color is wrong, somehow, mauve. Pink, with the barest hint of violet. Strange. The bell rings, she jumps with a startled gasp and bolts like a frightened woodland animal, dashing into the classroom, and leaving Brad alone in the doorway._

_Doctor Scott wheels past Brad, giving him a look that suggests he'd seen his entire interaction with the new girl. "Better find a seat, young man. Ah, why not sit with Miss…uh, Weiss. She's a recent arrival; I'd like it if you kept an eye on her for me." _

_With a confused nod, Brad shuffles into the classroom, tripping over his own feet on the way to his lab table. He looks over and sees Janet looking frightened beyond wit's end. Or maybe embarrassed. She's whispering under her breath in snatches of a different language; rich, dark, and heavily accented. He wonders what her speaking voice is like._

"_Hi, I'm Brad," he extends his hand with a smile. "Thanks for...uh, you know. Out there," he adjusts his glasses awkwardly with his other hand. She stares at his extended hand, her eyes wide with surprise and pleasure. She actually appears ignorant of the customary greeting, or how to return it. Brad holds out his hand closer to her. Summoning boldness he didn't know he had, he continues, insisting. "Come on, I don't bite. My name's Brad," he repeats, hoping she'll give him her name this time. "Don't be scared, I'll be your friend," he coaxes, praying that she isn't going to laugh in his face._

"_Ahh," Janet sighs, losing herself in his eyes, "Oh! My name…my name is…" she falters, trying to pull her name from the back of her mind, which had gone pleasantly blank. Reaching out, in an automatic gesture, she touches her palm against his with a sudden burst of giggles, her face a flood of color once more. Brad "corrects" her attempt at shaking hands, admiring every detail down to her fingernails. They stare at their clasped hands; both of them painfully shy yet irresistibly drawn to one another._

"_Janet!" Doctor Scott calls, she snaps to attention, looking inexplicably fearful again. He's handing out a stack of papers to the class. She takes two and passes them along, giving one to Brad. That smile…like she'd never seen a human being before. A recent arrival, Dr. Scott called her; Brad wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been a recent arrival from Heaven itself._

"_Janet? That's your name?" he asks, softer this time._

_Nervously, she answers in the same low, conspiratal tone, "Yes, Janet Veiss—Weiss." She covers her mouth, looking guilty. "I'm not from here. I'm still learning."_

"_This, class, is a test to see how much you already know about the fundamentals of science. It won't affect your grades, but it's necessary for me to know what I have to work with. Nothing to be frightened of, I promise you. Begin."_

_This halts any conversation between Brad and his new friend; they both flip over their test forms and take it in. Brad looks utterly flummoxed; more accurately, he looks like he's about to be sick. Janet, on the other hand, brightens immediately. Her face practically glows in relief. Completely lost as to why she would look so happy, Brad reads through the questions and formulas one more time. There sits Janet, looking as though she were asked to solve a child's puzzle. Her pencil flies over the paper, completing diagrams, circling answers, as though it were the easiest thing in the world. As she's finishing up, she chances a look over at Brad, sees his blank test form and despondent demeanor with a twinge of pity. Surreptitiously looking over her shoulder, ascertaining that Dr Scott is otherwise occupied, she scoots her seat several inches closer to him, nudging her paper for him to see. Brad looks up at her, then at her test, then back at her, questioningly. She smiles brightly and significantly looks the other way. Unable to believe his luck—he made friends with the smart kid! He's saved!—he completes his own test with her "help"._

_Several minutes later, they hand them in, Brad is panting as though he'd just run a marathon while Janet sits there grinning at him._

"_Wh-why'd you help me like that?"_

"_You needed it. And I could," she answers simply. Looking like she's trying not to laugh, as an afterthought she adds "You're cute."_

_The bell rings…and the dream ends._

Brad doesn't wake up completely, he only partially resurfaces to consciousness to think: that was the last time Janet had been at the crossroads between worlds. He'd been with her on her first day in public as an Earthling, he is now doubly glad that he'd offered his friendship to her then. Poor thing, she must've been so scared and lonely, not knowing what had happened to her family, probably a vague feeling that something terrible had happened that she didn't want to talk about. Janet needed a friend that day; Brad thinks how lucky he was that it was him. As much as he'd needed someone to cheat off of, in a way, you could say that she'd needed someone to share with. Brad tries to coerce his sleepy brain to retrace old steps with the knowledge he has now. Her first day of high school, scary enough for 'normal' kids, made all the worse by her uprooted state, and methodically suppressed memory. He happily remembers their first days together, now knowing that Janet had grown up never thinking of herself as pretty—that title had always been reserved for her glamorous older sister—and on her first day among ordinary humans she found herself admired, sought-after. No one could understand why she wasted her time with Brad when she could have her pick. She could've had anyone and she wanted him. He wonders how clear her memory is of their early years as a couple. After such recent physical, mental, and emotional trauma, he's amazed that Janet hadn't somehow blocked it all out. But no, she'd just said…that was when she fell in love with him. She'd even acted on instinct and halfway made the sign, although at the time neither one knew what it meant. Forever and always, Brad ponders as he slips back into unconsciousness.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Rocky Horror, there was just so much left unsaid.**

**_Author's Note:_ Sorry it took 2 whole months to get this done, school's been getting more intense, I've had projects coming out of my ass! So yeah, the worst is over for now, so hopefully it won't take so long until the next one. For those of you that are still with me, thanks for reading!**

As Janet sleeps, her own subconscious is turned to their early courtship as well

_She and Brad are in their sophomore year of high school, up to now they've been close friends but nothing more, despite mutual attraction. After a rather flat freshman year--neither had had the courage to go to any of the school dances--they'd decided to go together to homecoming. They're in Janet's living room, practicing formal dances. _

"_I just can't get the hang of it," Janet bemoans, standing by the window hopelessly. "I can't even learn it in gym class because of my stupid blood-type. Everyone else is normal and healthy, why do I have to be off the charts? I probably shouldn't even go. I'll never be able to do this."_

"_Sure you can, just one more try and you'll get it," Brad assures her, dragging her back by the hand. "Now. One-two-three, one-two-three…" and he attempts to lead her in a waltz. Every count, though, Janet manages to miss and step on his toes. After a few eye-watering minutes of this latest tutorial, Brad stops abruptly and backs away. "Stop, stop, stop! Here, I have an idea. Take off your shoes."_

"_I'm sorry," Janet sighs in embarrassment._

"_Just take them off. Here. Now stand on my feet." She raises an eyebrow at this, but obeys. Brad adjusts his hold on her; they're standing much closer together this time. Janet looks up at him, her eyes dilating and a blush rising in her cheeks, suddenly shy from his nearness. They're off again, Brad leading while Janet watches their feet to memorize the positions. They move in unison, hypnotically… _

_Without realizing it, Janet begins crying, suddenly becoming completely inconsolable. Brad stops their dance lesson and helps Janet step down but she refuses to let go of him. Sobs shake her as she clings to him, violently mourning._

"_Janet? What's wrong?"_

_She sniffs, shuddering vulnerably, futilely trying to compose herself, "I d-don't know! I just…can't s-stop…! Don't leave me, please don't leave me alone!"_

_During the year they have known each other, Janet had experienced two emotionally jarring "flashbacks", as she and Brad had come to call them, although neither one had been as clearly disturbing as this one. He's been the only one to know about them, not even her mother was told, and he kept them a secret at her request._

_Brad holds her awkwardly, listening to the piteous sounds she's making. "Was it…one of _them_?"_

_Janet nods, "It was just like the others. All it is are…these… feelings."_

"_What did you feel?"_

_She breathes deeply to steady herself, "I felt…warm, safe, happy…then it changed so fast! Loss. Someone…went away…something bad happened, I think. You reminded me of it, though, us dancing together. I think I did this before with…someone else. There was something else, too, something…so big. I think it has something to do with you, too. The same, but different. Please don't go away, don't leave me, Brad."_

_Brad listens to what she's describing, not knowing what to make of it, wishing it made sense so he could make it go away. "What…else? What was it?"_

_Janet closes her eyes, attempting to find the faded remains of the memory and finding it impossible to hold onto. One last trace flits before her before disappearing again, "Love." It takes her a minute to realize what she'd just said. Then she catches it, slowly bringing her hand to her mouth. Janet slowly looks up at him, her eyes wide and wet with tears. "Love?" She breathes curiously. "Love…" she confirms to herself. "Oh…" Janet sighs, trembling in his arms. "I'm dizzy. My chest hurts," she attempts to inject sense into this awkward episode, clutching at her heart with a soft moan._

_He stares down at her, cupping her face in his hand, seeing someone totally other than his friend and lab-partner. It's as though it's finally occurred to him that they're male and female, boy and girl, almost-man and almost-woman. Janet closes her eyes, led by instinct, feeling down Brad's arms, trying to press their hands together. He struggles against her insistent attempts, trying to keep his hands free, finally holding her hands down to her sides by her wrists. He bends down and inelegantly kisses her on the mouth. Janet freezes up then jumps back! She stares at him, touching her lips, thunderstruck._

"_What was that?"_

_Brad takes several steps back, guiltily looking at the floor, "Sorry, I shouldn't have…I just…"_

_Janet advances, backing him into the wall, repeating softly, "What _was_ that?" Her genuine innocent curiosity is clear on her face._

"_It's called a kiss. People do it when they…care for each other. You didn't… know that?"_

_Janet's eyes lose focus as she shakes her head, staring dreamily up at the ceiling, "I think I remember… something about touching hands, arms…I wish I could remember more." She comes 'back to Earth' with a growing smile. "Show me…your way again."_

"_What?!"_

"_Do it again."_

_After that, they went from best friends to going steady, surprising none of their classmates. They'd been chalked up as an inevitable couple from day one; the only thing that had been standing in their way had been each one's apparent lack of social savvy and sexual awareness. Now, although the word was that they still hadn't 'done the deed' Janet in particular found it increasingly hard to keep her hands to herself. It was as though any minute she wasn't on Brad's arm, or touching him in some way, was a minute wasted. Their junior year came along and he gave her his class ring, which she gave right back because it was ridiculously big for her. A few months later, Janet drove her mother and stepfather to distraction, agonizing over finding the perfect dress to wear for senior prom, no easy task when her eye for formalwear is tainted by conflicting cultures. The whole ordeal of shopping with her mother was perilous; she knew she was at risk of triggering a flashback in this setting. Just the touch of velvet was enough to temporarily spark a latent image. After that, her flashbacks were occurring less and less frequently, as she built a new, human life over the top of the tattered remains of her old one. Even the incidences themselves soon became long forgotten, a childish thing of the distant past. By the time Brad finished a marketing program from the local junior college she'd long since stopped trying to say "I love you" with her hands, exclusively in favor of the human way. One more instinct that was unlearned. Brad and Janet never questioned why Doctor Scott kept in touch with them; they accepted his continued "friendship" as perfectly normal. They never noticed how his eyes never strayed from Janet for too long, or when she stopped twitching nervously in his presence. Neither of them knew it, but Doctor Scott's experiment was a complete success. Not only would Janet be guaranteed not to seek out her "old life", she would almost certainly run from it if it was presented before her. She had become a perfect human specimen, undetectable from the real thing. Her childhood breeding as a castle servant reemerged in her adult life: her natural love of pleasing people paired well with her serious regard for tableside service, leading her to a rewarding waitressing job at the local restaurant. For all appearances, she was an ordinary, productive member of society. No one would suspect what she started out as._

Morning comes; Janet awakens after Brad had gone off to work, feeling the incredible urge to tell someone she was now a married woman. The trouble is, none of her friends would understand, she realizes with a frustrated pout, it wasn't exactly a typical 'wedding'.

"Mother," she whispers aloud, testing the idea. Running through the various possible ways it could go, Janet teeters between excitement and worry, optimism and realism. "I have to tell her." She goes through her mental address book again. A stray thought to her manager makes her remember she hadn't been to work in days. They probably thought she was dead.

_  
Rrrring-rrrring_, "Thank you for calling the Apricot Pit, this is Deb."

"Hi, it's Janet."

"Janet! Where have you been? Your regulars were all worried about you! We were starting to think something happened!"

Fiddling guiltily with the phone cord, she chews her bottom lip, "I've been…not myself lately; it was really bad. I couldn't come in like that. Sorry."

"Well, it's good that you're alive, and it's lucky we weren't short, but can you be in tomorrow?"

Tomorrow? Janet looks at the calendar. What would Riff-Raff and Magenta do all day? She'll work that out today, she decides, adding it to her to-do list. "Uh, sure, I'm feeling better, I'll be there at…9?"

"Don't be late. Glad you're still with us, in more ways than one."

Janet hangs up with a sigh of relief, that's one thing down. She grabs some clothes and pulls them on, absently. Pacing around the room, she begins rehearsing her conversation with her mother.

"Hi, Mom, sorry I haven't called in a while. I'm all right. This is going to sound like a strange question, but do you remember where we came from before we moved here? And, how many kids do you have?" Janet growls at herself, pulling her hands roughly through her hair. "She hung up!"

"Hi, Mommy, I'm alive. Did you ever suspect you were from another planet?" No good.

"Is this line clean?" Definitely not.

"Hi, Daddy, can you tell Mom that Brad and I got married last night?" Yeah, if she wanted to give them both a heart-attack. He might be an Earthling and no blood relative, but he's still been her dad for the past eight and a half years.

"Mother, you'll never believe who Brad and I ran into Monday night." She won't believe it because she probably doesn't remember.

"Do you have any tattoos?" Now where have I heard that before?

"Guess what; you know how Monday Brad proposed, well, last night we got married!" Right, brilliant, she thinks sarcastically.

"Doctor Scott hasn't come around lately, has he?" How would she explain that one?

"Tell me about my real father." Too teenager-y. But she might be onto something.

"Brad and I were…talking about getting married," at least she's telling the truth. "It got me wondering, how did you meet my father?" That might work…

It's still too early to call, so she goes to see if her siblings are up yet. Their door is hanging open, so she lets herself in. They're both still in bed, looking uncomfortably agitated.

"If this is all there is to do around here, I'm starting to miss the castle," Riff admits with a touch of irony. Magenta shuts her eyes tightly, and bangs the back of her head into the wall.

"I was actually thinking we should get out today. We've been quarantined for the past two days, I'm starting to feel stir-crazy myself," Janet says, opening her umbrella significantly, sliding on her sunglasses. "It's big enough for three, I think."

"I don't know how the Master could stand this, just sitting around all day. I vonder if Majors vould mind if I tidied up around here. This place is a pig-sty." Riff and Janet laugh at her compulsion to fall back on old habits. "At least then I'd feel like I was earning my keep. I feel…I feel…sick, I think."

Riff-Raff gets up, pacing the confines of their room. "I know what you mean; I hope we haven't caught some Earth virus."

"You're bored," Janet observes.

"Bored?" Magenta asks, as though it were an entirely new concept.

Janet nods, "Yes. You don't have anything to do. That's probably why you feel sick."

"Domestics don't get bored," Magenta counters.

"You're not a domestic anymore," Janet points out.

Riff-Raff and Magenta look at each other, then simultaneously turn and face Janet. "Then, vhat am I?" Magenta asks, mostly to herself. No one answers.

Her brother obviously decided to put off his identity crisis for another time, in favor of actually getting out and doing something. "Bored…What would the rest of the clan think of this? Let's get the hell out of here. Let's show this wretched planet who they're dealing with now," Riff snarls, inexplicably inspiring an affectionate response from his youngest sister. Janet glides across the room and kisses his cheek; her eyes alight with expectation and admiration, ready to follow her crafty big brother's lead once more. A thousand previous exploits vie for her recall; she can't wait to show them around her adopted home.

"Let's go," Janet agrees.

"Vait! How can ve go out and _not_ get recognized for vhat ve are?"

"Well, they're not exactly on the hunt for us. Here, everyone just assumes that everyone around them is from Earth."

Riff-Raff wears a distasteful look, "That's a bit presumptuous, isn't it?"

"Kind of, but after finding out what they do to out-in-the-open 'visitors', I can see why most keep undercover," Janet explains. "If no one comes out and says there are non-Earthlings walking amongst them, what else are they supposed to think?"

Riff nods grudgingly, "Fair point."

The first thing they do is walk to Janet's apartment to get her car. It's there that it hits her how long she's been gone. She goes from room to room, doing a quick tidy-up. "I really should get out of Brad's hair. I have my own life to get back into; this whole week has been so cloudy. Like a dream or something," Janet ponders aloud. "I could have an extra key made for each of you, how would that sound?"

"Here? Are you sure there'd be room?" Riff asks.

"Well, it's smaller than Brad's place, but I really think he'd appreciate having the house to himself again. He might be getting used to all that's happened, but it probably feels like Transylvania Central. He's a human, humans like their space on their terms. We'll still be able to stay the night sometimes, but this whole business has really upset everyone's routine. I have a job, and I haven't even been in to work for days. People are starting to notice. It would beat being cooped up at Brad's house all day, wouldn't it?"

"That's true enough," Magenta allows, then turns to her brother, "Imagine, being allowed to come and go as ve please? Ve haven't been able to do that since ve came to Earth."

Janet is pleased that her siblings approve, and soon they're ready to go into town. They go back outside and she hops into her green '68 Impala she'd recently bought at the secondhand car lot. Turning the ignition over, it hums to life. She proudly shows off the convertible feature, then looks up for a reaction.

"How does it work?" Riff inquires, genuinely curious.

Feeling rather put on the spot, Janet acquires a lost, vacant expression for a moment. "Well, it runs on gasoline, which goes in here, and there's a big battery inside that brings the engine on…I really don't know much else." She puts the top back up and drums her nails against the steering wheel.

"Can you operate this thing?" He demands, looking suddenly hesitant to get in.

"Of course I can drive! Look," Janet snaps back defensively. She digs in her purse and shows him her license. "They give these to people when they learn to drive. It gets taken away if you can't. Trust me."

Exchanging a glance with Magenta, who shrugs indifferently, they get in the car. Riff-Raff sits up in the front passenger seat so he can keep an eye on Janet while Magenta sprawls lazily in the back. His fears are soon dismissed when they make it into town without anything going amiss. They parallel park on the main drag and take stock of the situation.

"The first thing you two need is some new clothes. I don't have a lot of extra money, but I'm sure we'll make do."

Magenta fumbles around in the black crochet shoulder bag she's carrying in her lap, and brings out a strand of familiar-looking pearls, along with a few other articles of jewelry. "Vill this help?"

Janet twists around in her seat and is shocked by what she sees. "Magenta, for gods' sakes, put that away! I…don't need to ask where you got those things. We can go to the jeweler's first. Unless you wanted to keep any of it?"

Magenta glowers at her hoard in disgust, "The Master's taste vas far too vulgar." She holds the pearls against her neck, "It vouldn't suit me at all."

Smiling with a sneer, Riff-Raff muses, "Just imagine what they'd think back home. The servants hawking the crown jewels for a little spending money."

"You two worked for him without pay for ten years," Janet justifies, "He owes you at least this much. They looked better on the Queen, anyway." They get out of the car and crowd under the umbrella, walking down the sidewalk towards the end of the block.

"You never saw the Queen, Janus," Riff snorts.

"I did too! At some ball or other, I must've been 12. That was the same day that…you two became official." Janet stops abruptly, spins on her heel and faces her brother with a knowing expression, giving him Magenta's usual eyebrow flick. The three of them look at each other, as though inwardly falling into step together, then simultaneously breaking into identical smirks. Janet slides on her sunglasses and they're off again.

Stepping into the jeweler's, they put the umbrella down, though all three of them stay close together. Janet approaches one of the glass-topped counters, attracting the attention of on older woman in a dark suit and tinted glasses. "Hello, dear, what can I help you with today?"

"I was wondering if you would be interested in buying something from me," Janet announces, trying not to look guilty. She lays the pearl necklace on the counter with a fidgeting hand, snapping her face into a tight smile.

The woman looks at them through a glass, examining them carefully. She looks up at the three of them and observes in an undertone, "You got out, I see. Good." Reaching out towards Janet, she slips her sunglasses off. "And you're the other one," she breathes. "And what's this, then? Severance pay?" Not waiting for an answer, she takes the necklace to the back and locks it up. She opens a cash drawer and starts counting out bills. She lays 300 on the counter. "There. Besides a down payment on a new life, I'll throw in my word not to ask questions or tell tales. Good luck."

Money in hand, the three of them set out to do some serious shopping. Once inside the shop, Riff-Raff and Magenta remain cautiously inseparable, even to the point of sharing a fitting room. Trusting their little sister's judgment pertaining to "human clothes", they obediently try on anything she hands them, though they don't even attempt to conceal their opinions. The sight of his sister in a baby-pink skirt reduces Riff to breathless cackles.

"Are you sure about this?" Magenta asks later on, now modeling a pair of bell-bottomed jeans with an air of uncertainty, "Ve don't…I couldn't…I'm not high society enough to cross-dress."

"It's not cross-dressing.," Janet explains, "Everyone wears those: men, women, kids, everyone."

Riff-Raff is inspecting her, slowly circling around her, he's never seen his sister in anything like this before. "You look taller." He glances up at her face, but then looks back down at her legs, like he can't take his eyes off of them. Magenta takes his hands and brings them around her waist, making them meet at her bottom with a flirty grin. He purses his lips in approval, looking her up and down. Before they can make a spectacle of themselves, Janet clears her throat.

"Not here," she whispers, indicating that they're in public.

They go back into the fitting room, and after a few minutes, Janet hears Magenta shrieking with laughter. Riff-Raff's voice comes out, murderously: "I'm not wearing this."

"Which one?" Janet asks.

"This…blue…thing, with the frilly cuffs."

"Oh, that's a leisure suit. A lot of people wear them," Janet verifies.

"A lot of people are either blind or unbelievably stupid. I want it burned. That's all I will say on the matter."

Riff-Raff and Magenta continue shopping; in the end; in addition to the jeans, Magenta is dressed in a deep purple silk blouse and black angora sweater. She's also eyeing up a calf-length blood-red coat. Riff-Raff is wearing brown corduroys, a long-sleeve green polo, and a navy blue sport coat. It's clear that they'd never worn such heavy clothes before, and they're squirming under the bulk.

"You'll get used to it, besides, it'll be winter any day now," Janet assures them. "Just wait till we're knee-deep in snow. You look great, both of you."

They wear some of their new clothes out and carry the rest. They crowd under the umbrella again and head back to the car. Just as they get to the end of the sidewalk, their paths are crossed by Ralph and Betty Hapshatt. Janet spots them and calls out to them.

"Hi, Ralph! Hi, Betty! What are you up to?"

The two newlyweds have to do a double-take and get a closer look at the strange woman who's addressing them.

"Who…?" Betty flounders, peering at her with apprehension.

Taking off her sunglasses, Janet smiles brightly at her friends, "It's me, it's Janet."

Ralph takes a step back, pulling Betty along with him, "Janet…what happened to _you_?"

Protectively, Riff-Raff takes her arm; Janet looks stricken by the abruptness of the question. "Oh, this? It's…hereditary, some kind of…skin condition, you know. Sensitivity to light. Just sort of…popped up."

Betty isn't satisfied, "Who are these…" she whispers, "_people?_" She points 'discreetly' at Riff and Magenta.

"Her family," Riff-Raff answers. "We were separated, and we've recently found each other again."

"Janet, really?" Betty demands.

"Her _name_ is--" Riff begins with a snarl, but Janet steps on his foot.

"Yes, it's true," Janet says, much louder, hoping to drown out her brother's outburst.

Ralph and Betty look between the three of them, wearing false polite smiles.

"Oh, Betty, look at the time. We really have to go or we'll be late for the…thing. S-see you around."

As they push past Janet and her siblings, Betty turns to Ralph: "What happened to her, Ralph? She was fine at the wedding, now she's hanging around with the Addams Family."

"Probably joined a cult. I don't think you should call her anymore."

"Oh, god, no, I don't think so either."

Magenta whips around, shouting back at them, "Vell, she doesn't vant to talk to you…two-faced jackals, either!"

The drive home is passed in total silence. They get back to Brad's house, Janet goes into his room, taking off her sunglasses and leaving the lights off. She curls up in his closet and cries. Over the edge of his laundry hamper is her shredded half-slip, she rubs the abused fabric between her fingers as she moans her despair. They fade in intensity to hiccupping sobs as her mood changes from betrayed to confusion and isolation. It is then that she recalls Rocky, in a similar state in his tank. Lonely, frightened, probably wishing he'd never been born. A guilty grin warms her as she thinks of her own unique method of comforting the poor creature. With a wistful stray thought, Janet wishes he could be here to return the favor. After a while, her conscious thought is taken off the hook, and for over an hour she merely stares quietly out into the darkness.

The front door slams, waking Janet abruptly. She hears indistinct voices in the front room, Riff and Magenta must be describing the events of the day. She soon hears footsteps coming towards her hiding-place. Brad walks in, leaving the lights off, and crouches down in the closet, too.

"Janet…" he sighs sympathetically, tracing her tear-stained face and frown with a look of deliberate curiosity.

Her heart skips a beat; whether he knows it or not, he's using Transylvanian touchspeak. Responding in kind, she forms her hands into claws, gesturing angrily at herself. Brad brings her hands down, shakes his head, drawing a hand down her cheek. Janet shakes her head, squeezing her eyes shut with a sharp sob. Then he does it with both hands, and she melts.

"Oh, Brad…"

He gathers her into his arms, she can feel him shaking with closely tempered fury at his former friend. He pulls away slightly, tracing his thumb in an upward motion against the curve of her mouth; she obediently smiles for him, taking his hands between hers with a punctuated squeeze. "Mine," she translates softly. Brad frees his hands gently to repeat the gesture with a smile.

"Mine."


	13. Planning a Family Reunion

**Disclaimer: Rocky Horror is the property of Richard O'Brien and 20****th**** Century Fox. Same goes for Shock Treatment; I just used the parents' names from it because it's easier and more canon-friendly to not diverge.**

**It's been a while between postings, and I'm sad to say it may be longer till the next one. The sudden surge in schoolwork and my new job have spelled utter destruction for my free time. Thanks for the kind reviews.**

**Short chapter this time, but it's either that or have one ungodly long chapter and have it take forever to get it posted. I'll try to get the rest of it written up by Halloween. I can't believe I've been working on this fic for a whole year now!**

While Brad is in his closet with Janet, Riff-Raff and Magenta are in the living room. Riff beckons his sister over to him with an unreadable expression. Magenta bites her lip as she looks over his shoulder at the address book he has propped open, his finger on a name. They exchange looks of trepidation and simultaneously take a deep, steadying breath. Magenta threads her fingers through her brother's, sharing a reassuring gesture with him.

"She von't know us. Our own mother von't know us."

"Janus was able to remember little things, even before we…refreshed her memory. She just needed a good shock to snap her out of it."

"Vhat if she doesn't vant to remember?"

"I'll take care of it, trust me. We have to try."

"I haven't even thought of her as alive in so long. Vill you talk to her? Or maybe it vould be better if Janus explained."

"I'd thought you would; it would help if she heard your voice. After all, you never…assimilated," Riff practically purrs, tracing his sister's bottom lip significantly. "You'll do well enough, I'm sure."

"You're used to talking to strangers; I've spent the last 10 years skulking in dark corners, trying not to be seen."

Riff's lips curl up in a leering smile, "I'd say that when visitors did arrive, _dealing_ with them was a team effort." Magenta grins back, almost maliciously. "You always loved to play 'Frighten the Earthlings'. Just don't scare _this_ one."

With a sudden burst of determination, Magenta fluidly grabs the address book out of Riff's hands and stalks purposefully to the telephone. When a backward glance provokes a nod of approval, she picks up the headset and haltingly turns the rotary dial in the right sequence to ring up the woman who calls herself Emily Weiss.

_Ring, ring…_

A man's voice answers, "Hello?"

Resisting the urge to hang up immediately, Magenta has to rethink her end of the conversation. "Hello. I vant to speak vith Mrs. Veiss," she states through a forced calm.

"Who is this?" Harry Weiss demands, drawing his wife's attention. She looks up at him curiously and makes a deliberate effort to listen in further.

"Please, it is…imperative that I speak vith her.

"Where the hell did you get that accent, Transylvania?"

Shrugging to herself, Magenta answers, "Yes, actually."

Harry scowls at the phone, annoyed at this strange caller. "Oh, really? Which part?" He asks condescendingly.

Missing the irony, she illuminates further, "Transexual, Transylvania."

"_Transexual_, Transylvania??" Harry blurts back, disgusted. In the next room, Emily jumps in her seat with an involuntary shudder and stares, unseeing, straight ahead of her.

"Please, is your vife there? I must speak vith her. It's taken so long to find her. She changed her name since I knew her; she used to be called Azelma McKinley. Do you know that name?"

"Azelma?" Harry repeats, now at a loss for how to handle the situation.

Emily Weiss, Azelma McKinley, stands shakily, clutching blindly at the wall. Hazy images of another time, another place, swim towards the front of her mind; a vague memory of the man who called her by that name causes a painful, bittersweet pang of emotion. Mystified, she whispers, "Rolf…"

"Tell her it's Magenta; tell her ve're all right. Please? Tell her all three of us are."

By now, Mrs. Weiss is in the kitchen with her husband. She plucks the receiver from his hand, both of them looking equally puzzled.

"She says her name is Magenta," he mutters through a confused daze. "She wanted me to tell you all three of them are safe."

Emily sighs, "Oh, God…," looking sick and faint. She places the phone to her ear and hesitatingly begins. "Hello?"

Magenta's excitement at her success is too much to contain, and heedlessly she blurts out, "Mother?!"

"Uh…" Emily falters. "Why…did you…call me that?"

"It's who you are, believe me. I can explain everything."

"Listen, maybe it would be better for us to do this face to face. Where are you?"

"Is this line clear? I don't vant someone else listening in."

Emily fumbles for an answer while at the other end, Brad enters the room.

"Magenta, what are you doing with that? The phone isn't a toy." He wrests it from her grasp. "Hello? Anyone there?"

"Brad??" Emily gasps.

"Mrs. Weiss, hi! Oh…" he looks at Magenta, fidgeting nervously in her agitation, "I think maybe you'd better come over. There's a lot we have to talk about."

"Yes…yes, I think you're right. I'll be right over."


	14. Remember

**Author's Note: See, I told you I'd post this by Halloween! Enjoy ******

"I have to go," Emily monotones, hanging up the phone in a trance.

"What? Where?" Harry demands, at a loss. "Did you know that…person?"

"I…think so. I don't know anything for sure, but I can't help feeling that this is…important somehow. I'll be home before too long." She grabs her purse and walks out, leaving her husband feeling as though his normally sensible world had turned against him.

On the way to Brad's house, Emily's thoughts keep touching upon the overheard words that had produced such chilling reactions. She is suddenly overcome by the feeling that something horrible had happened and she only now realizes it.

"Magenta…Transylvania…Transexual…" Without knowing why, she closes her eyes with a heartfelt sigh. "Sweet Transexual, Land of Night…" Not knowing where the words are coming from, she sings softly to herself the formal salute to her home planet. "Magenta...she said I'm her mother. All three of them are safe. Three of them? And Brad knows her; how does he have anything to do with it? God, what am I doing? What am I thinking? Why do I feel sick all of a sudden? I remember…I've had this feeling before, but when? And from what?

She pulls into Brad's driveway and sits in her parked car for a few minutes to steady her quaking nerves, overcome by unnamable dread. Her legs, numb with anxiety, slowly find their way up his sidewalk. Through her dizzy state, she's mildly surprised to see Janet's car parked in the garage next to Brad's. She stands on the front doorstep, and rings the bell.

Magenta answers the door a split-second later, she'd been watching from the window. When the doorbell sounded, all of her mentally rehearsed explanations vanished without a trace. The two women stand rigidly, unable to speak. Luckily, Brad notices the tense situation and intervenes.

"Mrs. Weiss, come on in!"

She obeys, stepping past Magenta. Both women circle each other, still silently staring at each other.

Back in Brad's closet, Janet hears her mother being invited in. Knowing this is going to take everyone's help, she pulls herself together and comes out. She steps noiselessly from the shadows into the living room. Her sudden appearance and changed state cause her mother to shriek aloud, pointing urgently at her.

"Janet! Who…what…what's happened to you? You look…" Emily frantically looks her youngest daughter up and down. Pure shock drags words unconsciously past her lips: "You look like your Aunt Gardris," she sighs, giving no outward sign that she knows the name she just spoke. She claps a hand over her mouth, the other she brings to her forehead as she shudders involuntarily and tears spill down her face. Brad recognizes the symptoms of a violent flashback and guides her to a chair. Magenta squats in front of her on the floor, looking up at her curiously.

"Mother? Are you all right? Do you…do you remember anything? Do you know me?"

Brad takes Magenta by the shoulders and gently guides her away, "Not now, let Janet try. She's frightened."

"Good!" Magenta hisses, "It's good for her, she needs a shock to snap her out of it. We need to break her programming."

"I know," Brad agrees, "but _gently._" She fixes him with a withering scowl, but allows herself to be dragged away. Janet slides into her place, smoothing her mother's hair back comfortingly.

"Mom, look at me. _Look at me_," she insists. "This is important." Her mother forces herself to obey, stares at Janet in disbelief. Janet smiles benignly and brings one of her mother's hands to her face, hears her startled gasp at the contrast in skin color.

"What…what's going on? I feel… so confused, this awful feeling that something bad is about to happen."

"Shh…it's already happened. We got out, remember?"

Emily, Azelma looks deep into her daughter's hypnotic alien eyes, "It was cold…so bright…"

Magenta snaps to attention at this, "Yes," she whispers, a triumphant smile painting her face almost savagely. "Go on, Janus, you're doing it!"

"I have dreams sometimes that we're locked in a white room, in a cage…and your science teacher is there. Always the same dream."

Janet nods encouragingly, "Yes, that's right. And before that? What happened before that? Do you know?" Her mother shakes her head defeatedly, Janet tries another tactic: "You said I look like Aunt Gardris. Can you tell me who she is? Anything about her?"

"Your father's sister. She and I used to…" she languidly confesses, cutting herself off with a blush rising in her cheeks. "She introduced me to Rolf, and I was his," she recalls with a smile, stroking her chest significantly. Slowly, it dawns on her what she's been saying, and she looks horrified at the thought. She casts a worried look all around her; everyone had drawn nearer as unbidden memories spilled from her.

"Mom, it's all right. We're from another planet, Transexual. We came to Earth and got caught and used for medical experiments. We were turned human. You and I were separated from the rest of the family." Magenta and Riff-Raff come into view, hand in hand. Janet looks up at them with shining eyes, "And here they are."

With some trepidation, Emily/Azelma looks up at Magenta, "You…Magenta, you called me 'Mother' earlier…" Looking between the two of them, her face is a mask of confusion and guilt, her eyes fall on her son. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name…?"

This is more than Riff-Raff can tolerate: his face twists into a vicious snarl, "We waited for you for _ten years_! We thought you were dead! Why else would you have stayed away for all this time?? You must've been dead, or you would've tried to find us, right? And here you are, not a scratch on you. How quaint."

Magenta gives his arm a squeeze, "Riff, don't."

He jerks away, now on a roll, his mother cringing back in alarm. "You have no idea the _hell_ we lived through. The Master, the Prince, that…" words fail him on how to describe Frank N. Furter. "He took his filthy pleasures with my sister!" He punctuates his revelation by pulling Magenta close. "Both of them. He turned the castle into a madhouse, ruled by his own spoiled whims. There was no order, no adults, nobody to stop him. You could have stopped him! You could've done something, you were a grownup! He would have listened to you!"

"Do you really believe that? Would he really have behaved himself if a servant slapped him on the wrist?"

The first one to fully pick up what Mrs. Weiss had just said was Brad. "You said 'servant'." She nods shakily.

Magenta breathes, "You remember vhat you vere on Transexual."

"Not everything, not as well as you three, it seems. Oh! Oh, god, that's what he meant! Oh my god… 'all three of you are safe'! All three of you." As though seeing them all for the first time since she arrived, she leaps to her feet, embracing them each in turn. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but try to understand, Janus and I were prisoners too."

At this remark, Janet drops into a dead faint. Luckily, Brad, as always, is there to catch her. As he pats her face, coaxing her to come around, he looks up to watch Riff-Raff endure being hugged, wearing a grimace that isn't quite convincing.

Janet shakes herself out of her swoon, murmuring, "She called me by my other name!"

"I'd like to get to know you two. It's been so long," Azelma looks fondly at the pair of them. She still looks a little uncertain; naturally the day's revelations have taken their toll on her. "I'd better get back home. Harry…my husband is probably wondering what's been going on."

Magenta's lip curls, "You married a human?"

"I _am_ a human, dear."

"We can change that…Mother," Riff-Raff offers subtly. "I actually built something that can rearrange your DNA, to make you Transylvanian again."

"Incredible," she breathes. "How…?"

"We actually have Doctor Scott to thank for the development. His nephew had been one of the Master's…especial companions. He'd mentioned it in passing that his uncle made a hobby of studying extraterrestrials. After some…persuasion, he brought back the files he'd taken from one of the more lengthy experiments, which involved taking a Transexual and genetically manipulating it into an Earthling. I used this material to find a way to do the opposite. We can change you back," he concludes earnestly.

Azelma smiles, feeling a mother's pride for a son that she can barely remember having, impressed by the intricacies of his plotting. She's obviously tempted by the offer, but… "I don't think I can. I know things aren't perfect, but it's what's familiar to me by now. I don't want to go through _that_. But thank you for the offer. I take it that Janet…Janus," she corrects herself, "has had this…treatment?"

Janet nods, looking on the verge of saying something but hesitating to do so. "M-mother? I, uh…speaking of that…Brad and I, we…last night I…I was asleep when I started, it was kind of a shock, but…he made me…I…" Her stammered confession is stopped when Brad pulls her close to him, taking her by surprise and making her suddenly start purring loudly. "Oh, Brad!" She gasps, backing into him to support herself.

"We're married," Brad summarizes.

"Oh…congratulations," Azelma voices, looking uncertainly between them. "Well, I really need to get back, but I'm…glad I came. I'll see you all soon."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?' Janet implores.

"Not a word. No one would believe me anyway." And she takes off again.

After their mother is gone, Riff-Raff and Magenta slink off to the kitchen, leaving Brad and Janet alone with lots to think about.

"Tell me…about…before you came here. About…" he looks up at the ceiling, "home. How much do you remember? Keep in mind I'm just a human, I've never even left town."

Janet smiles at him, pleased by his sudden curiosity in her background, and that for the first time she has a background to share with him. "Well, back home," she too gives the ceiling a glance, as though she'd merely lived in the attic and not in another galaxy, "our line had a bit of prestige to it. My grandparents on my mother's side were both heads of the household staff."

Brad looks surprised at her definition, "You call that prestige?"

"For the Royal Family, in the palace," she elaborates, as though that explains everything.

He doesn't know what to think of this, he remembers now that Magenta had told him the same thing before. For some reason, at the time, it hadn't been hard to swallow Magenta being a servant, but now it disturbs him greatly to think of his fiancée in such a lowly state. He sits down again, she follows suit. Brad stares down at the floor, but Janet has other ideas. Lifting his chin up, she forces him to look at her, now silently blazing in slighted pride.

"We weren't just servants, Brad, we were the best! There isn't anything wrong with it, and we were never ashamed of what we did. My family taught me the craft, and don't you dare think it's easy! It's a highly refined art. Yes, I was raised in the servants' quarters, but my home was the palace. It was a very proud heritage. We—were—the best! We were very well-respected, and we got to go to school, so we weren't ignorant slaves if that's what you think. Riff-Raff was top of his class! I wish I could show you, I wish you'd been there, Brad. It would have been such a wonderful time if you'd been there, too." She's stricken with a strange dreamy look, seizes up, and promptly faints into his lap. Brad shakes her, patting her face.

"Janet? Janet, wake up! Come on, snap out of it! Magenta, Riff! Hey, you two, come quick!" They both dash back in hurriedly.

"What's the matter with her?" Riff demands. His tone said more along the lines of "What did you do to her?"

"We were just talking."

"About vhat?" Magenta inquires, "Home?" Brad nods, Magenta rolls her eyes. "Brad, hold her up; Riff, get a bucket; I'll hold her hair." Sure enough, Janet comes around a minute later and promptly throws up. Brad holds her steady while Riff cleans her up and gives her a glass of water. After she's feeling better, Brad helps her lay back down and she continues as though there had been no interruption.

"We were…important p-people," Janet murmurs with a disoriented shudder. "We had more to do than just polish the brass." This drowsy remark is all it takes for Riff and Magenta to guess the topic of their conversation. As one, they turn and face him stonily, daring him to speak Brad had just insulted the woman he loves, as well as her home and entire family, all in one blow. He is now bound to make up for it. It had just been such a shock to hear her speak so plainly about being a servant. Far from contrite, she sounded proud of her ancestry.

"So, back at the castle…Frank's castle…that was your original home?"

"Part of it, and I can't say I love what he's done with the place. The section he took to Earth had been his apartments and private chambers. The rest of the palace is back on Transexual. My whole family lived down in the servants' quarters, like a nest of mice in the lower levels," Janet reveals with a reminiscing smile.

Brad is appalled, "You lived in the dungeons?"

Magenta huffs loudly, rolling her head back in disgust, "There veren't any dungeons, you stupid human! Vhat year do you think this is?" And she stomps out with her brother in tow.

Janet looks up at him curiously, "Is that what you thought? Oh, Brad, that's silly! It was home; with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Playing in the kitchens, learning the craft, it wasn't a bad life for us. I don't want you feeling sorry for me, okay? I was happy; it's what I was born and bred to do."

"Magenta mentioned something about escaping the tyranny," Brad remembers.

Janet nods, somber, "Things weren't perfect by any stretch, but the royal family knew it was unwise to oppress the people who prepared their meals." She sighs, tinged by melancholy, "Father wanted a better world for us, where we could be more than what we were born into. Riff-Raff was a more able scientist than Frank, but you saw who took all the credit for 'his' creation. He should have been more then what he was. Magenta and I were happy, though, satisfied with our lot in life. We were too young to know any better. It just amazes me, of all places for you and me to end up that night, that it would have to be--"

"Your home. So all of that, where we were, was just…Frank's 'private apartments'?"

"The Prince's chambers, yes," Janet supplies helpfully.

Brad fights to grasp this idea, "Wow! The rest of the palace must've been huge!" Suddenly, the idea of 'the lower levels' takes on a different image: one of grandeur rather than squalor.

Heedless of her fiancé's pensive expression, Janet goes on, sounding relieved to talk about her childhood, the life she knew before Earth. With a naughty grin she affects a 'grand' air, for all the world a serving girl mocking her mistress behind her back, "When the Royal Family would get called upon for diplomatic journeys, sometimes they'd take some of us along, as a show of status. Other times, they'd just leave and we'd get the whole house to ourselves!"

"'House'?" Brad gasps, "Janet, god! You just say it like it's perfectly normal. Most people wouldn't call _that_ having free run of the 'house'!" She giggles at his flummoxed state, pleased that she'd succeeded in impressing him. Having been a born and bred scullery maid, she's naturally house-proud. Brad is still reeling from her matter-of-fact delivery.

"Janet, this is…this is…you were a servant in a goddamn palace?!"

"We prefer 'domestic', actually," she gently corrects.

"On another planet!" He interjects wildly, beside himself.

"We've already covered that part, Brad," she replies smoothly, taking him by the arm and forcing him to look at her. She strokes his face soothingly as he calms back down. "Okay?" Janet asks hesitantly.

Brad nods, taking her hand in his. "I'm all right, just…the more I find out about you…" he trails off, his expression uncertain. Fearing the worst, Janet shakes her head in growing agitation, silently pleading for him not to cast her off for being 'different'. "Why would you want to marry me?" he demands suddenly, "What can I offer you that compares with what you grew up with? I can't give you a palace or a prestigious family name, or status, or any of that…what do I have to offer you?"

There's a heavy silence, finally Janet takes his hand and holds it to her chest where he feels her soft vibrato, now grown familiar and dear to him. "Just this," she whispers, looking him steadily in the eye with a hopeful smile. A slow smile touches Brad's face, as reassurance returns. Janet moans softly and closes her eyes, and her purring grows louder. "It's enough, believe me. Don't ever doubt that. Is it enough for you? That we have this?"

Brad just stands there, with his hand still on her chest, shaking off remaining thoughts of doubt. He steadies his resolve by asking himself, how many people can provoke a physical manifestation of pure love from their significant other? And _he_ does it to _her_! This strange, beautiful, alien woman is absolutely in love with him: a stupid, clumsy, ordinary Earth man. Brad just stares at her, listening to her 'motor running', and it suddenly scares him how many times he'd worried Janet into thinking he might stop loving her. Finally, he hears himself say, "It's enough."

She smiles up at him earnestly, her cat-like iridescent eyes shimmering with emotion, "We're still all right?"

"We're still all right."

"You don't mind that I'm…not local?" Brad shakes his head and kisses her neck. "You don't mind that I was a castle brat?"

Brad laughs, "A what?"

Janet giggles at the memory, "That's what the other kids at school would call us. There were the city kids, the country kids, and the castle brats. That's us. You wouldn't want to pick on one of us, though, or you'd find out how many of us there were!" She slides into a far-away look with a soft sigh.


	15. Skin Deep

**We're almost there, thanks for waiting for so long**

**I still don't own Rocky Horror, sadly, but it's been temporarily left in my capable hands ******** Enjoy!**

"So what happened today? With Betty and Ralph?" The mention of the incident draws Riff-Raff and Magenta out from the shadows once more, they hover near their sister, anticipating her reaction.

Janet looks irritated, shakes her head, signaling she doesn't want to talk about that right now. The feeling of betrayal was still too close to deal with at the moment. "I thought they were my friends," she laments.

"I'm sure they were just surprised to see you…like this. I mean, I'm used to it, but they haven't seen you since any of this happened."

"I can't help what's happened, Brad! I can't take it back, and I hate feeling like I should want to!"

"Maybe you should call them up, tell them…well, don't tell them _everything_, but enough. I don't know, at this point I don't even know what is and what isn't too strange for most people."

Janet gives him a smile, "You've crossed over. You're not like them anymore. Do you really think talking to them would help?"

Brad ponders, "I don't know, but maybe it would help to let them know how you feel."

"They probably don't want to talk to me. They think I joined a cult."

"They're humans," Magenta observes harshly, "they don't matter."

Brad turns to face her, offended by her assessment. "I suppose you think the same of me."

Magenta looks confused, looks between Brad and Janet, then over her shoulder to exchange a grin with her brother. "Don't be stupid, you're not a human to us. You're married to Janus, you're von of us."

Brad is amazed; his mouth hangs open, speechless at the certainty in her voice. Riff-Raff confirms with a drawl, "Like it or not. Welcome to the club. Do you want the tattoo now or later?"

"What, like your…" he trails off with a forced laugh, his eyes straying to Janet's legs, up to where he knows her birthmark is. "Are you serious?" Riff and Magenta exchange looks and nod.

"Don't make him get a tattoo," Janet interjects. "He doesn't need to be marked. Besides, he's still a human, it would get confusing."

Relieved, Brad agrees with her, "Thanks, though. That means a lot."

Several weeks pass, soon it's the middle of December, and true to Janet's predictions, her siblings are soon grateful for their new winter clothes. Their only sign of rebellion against "Earth culture" lies in the alterations they attempted. A few rips here, some embroidered sequins there, and they now sport a look that Brad calls "undercover Transylvanian".

Slowly but surely, they were all putting the events of the castle behind them. Janet was especially pleased when one day at work during a bathroom break, she spotted a small pool of purple in the toilet. Relieved that her encounter with Frank and Rocky hadn't gotten her pregnant, she called Brad from work to tell him the good news. After some awkwardness about 'women's troubles', not to mention hearing it billed as a good thing, Brad is as happy about it as she is.

Encouraged to venture out into the world, Riff-Raff and Magenta take to prowling the streets in the early mornings and evenings, learning their way around town. They are met with a few startled townspeople at first, but after their habit becomes routine they soon attract fewer stares. They remain aloof from society, though, their manner striking many as either painfully shy or possibly paranoid. The story that they were Janet's long-lost family had circulated for enough people to accept their presence.

One day, Brad is startled to see a familiar figure stalking through his office up to his cubicle. Although she is hiding behind overlarge sunglasses, he can distinguish Magenta's features well enough that he pulls her in and makes her duck down out of sight.

"What are you doing here? What's wrong?" He hisses urgently, looking frantically around to make sure no one had seen her come in.

"Ve haff to talk," she whispers back, looking very distressed. "I'm…I might be…I can't go alone, it could be your fault and if it is then Riff would kill me!" She prattles incomprehensibly. She is such a picture of earnest distress that Brad grabs his coat and follows her out with no further questions until they get to the car. Once they're driving through town, he starts in on her again.

"What are you talking about? What's my fault?"

"There's a doctor in town…one of _our_ doctors…ve need to be sure. Vhen Janus and I vere…not ourselves?" She hints.

Brad is still confused, but picks up on some of her hints, "What about that?"

"Please, ve need to see the doctor. To test for…_human_ DNA."

He looks at her quizzically, then laughs, "Human? Janet and I didn't do _that_ while you were each other! No way!" They stop at a red light and he gives her a reassuring smile.

Magenta pulls off her sunglasses and stares at him. "You didn't? You're sure?"

"I think I would remember if I had."

That's when she grabs him around the neck and kisses him on the mouth. With a dark chuckle she sits back, looking very relieved. The light turns green and they pull forward. Suddenly, a car coming from the left-hand corner of the intersection careens through the red light on his side and crashes into the front-driver side of Brad's car! He's thrown against his sister-in-law as shards of glass rain down from his window. Blood flows down his face and pools into Magenta's lap, and her eyes widen in shock. She leaps out of the car and storms up to the other car. The other driver, like Magenta, is miraculously not in bad shape. She points accusingly, like a malediction, screeching for the whole town to hear: "He killed my brother! _He killed my brother!!_" She keeps repeating this frantic scream while people call for an ambulance. When help finally arrives, Brad is removed from the wreckage and placed on a gurney. He's still alive, unconscious and bleeding badly, but alive. Magenta finds herself guided onto the ambulance with him, and she's given something for the shock. The police are on the scene as well, taking the man responsible for the accident into custody.

The whole way to the hospital, Magenta doesn't take her eyes off of Brad. The EMT hooks him up to an IV and goes into the front of the ambulance.

Brad's eyes flicker open, with a soft groan he looks around, wondering where he is. Magenta sees him move and has to stop herself from pouncing on him.

"Hey…'Genta…I…heard what you…said. What you…c-called me." He struggles to string words together.

"Ve're going to a hospital. Don't die. Janus vould be upset," she advises him.

He smiles, seeing right through her cool act. "You need…human name. You can't give your real one. Understand?" She nods.

"I don't know how to name myself in Earthling," she whispers almost inaudibly, her mouth right up to his ear. "You choose one."

"Me?"

"Riff named me vhen I vas born. You name me now."

Brad is touched to say the least. He takes her hand, thinking for a minute before suggesting. "How about Margot? I think it suits you. Kind of…foreign…dark…"

She nods, not sure what to think of her new name. "Mar-go" she tests it softly as Brad slips back into unconsciousness.

They pull right up to the ER entrance and process him in. Magenta waits fearfully as he's sent into surgery. She doesn't even know how to call home to tell anyone what happened. Hours drag on, she is certain the clock on the wall must have stopped when a nurse approaches her.

"Excuse me, you came in with Mr. Majors, is that right?" Magenta nods stiffly. "Are you family?"

"He married my sister," she rasps hoarsely.

"What's your name?"

She pauses, remembering what they'd discussed in the ambulance, "Margot."

The nurse smiles, "That's a pretty name."

Magenta looks up, surprised, "It is?"

"I think so. It definitely suits you."

But not even the pleasure of learning that she was given a 'pretty' name would take her mind off of the one who gave it to her. "How is he?"

"Recovering. He was very lucky he got help when he did. He had a few broken ribs and some lacerations, but he's going to be fine. They just stitched him up and now he's resting." Magenta clutches her heart and sinks down into a seat. "Do you want to see him? He's in room 147." She points the way helpfully.

Magenta is back on her feet in a flash and finds his room with no trouble. When she sees him propped up in the hospital bed, she puts her hand over her mouth. He would recover, he is alive and healthy, but the scarring…

"Oh, Majors, you're a mess," she sighs mournfully. She glides to his bed and stares at him. His face is crisscrossed in stitches like a jigsaw puzzle; it reminds her of some of the more creative threats that Frank had used to ensure her 'cooperation' in the past.

"Is it bad?"

Magenta nods tactlessly, but softly asks, "Does it hurt?"

"I'm really sore, but that's to be expected. I think I'll live."

Gesturing to her face, she hesitantly asks, "Have you…seen…?"

Brad nods grimly, not meeting her eyes. "Hey, can you get home all right from here, or should I call you a ride?"

"I think I can."

"It's not too far to drive. Hope it isn't too long for you to walk, though."

"I'll be fine," she assures him half-heartedly, anxious to get home to tell the others what happened. On her way out, two nurses are talking rather loudly together, and in the few seconds that the door hangs open, Brad hears one say to the other, "Too bad about that guy, I saw in the paper last week he was just married, too."

"Yeah, what's his wife gonna think of that?"

Magneta leaves the hospital and sets out back home. On the way, she looks into the florist shop and gets a rather _human_ idea.

"Afternoon, miss, is there something I can help you with?"

Magenta looks at the shop keeper awkwardly, still not used to being addressed by humans. "There vas an accident. They say people give people these…things…" she falters, gesturing to the arranged bouquets, "when people are in the hospital."

"Yeah, it cheers people up. What can I put together for you? Or would you like to arrange one on your own?"

"I've never seen these before. Back home, they vere…different, but they…meant things. Do these?"

"Yes, a lot of flowers hold a special meaning. Even different colors do."

"So many colors…" she breathes, nearly blinded by the vast technicolor array.

Holding up a few roses of different colors, the shop keeper demonstrates. A red rose is used to symbolize love, yellow often denotes friendship…"

"Vhat about both? Can it be red and yellow?"

"We do carry dipped roses, if that's what you're looking for." She sticks a red-dipped yellow rose in a vase with some ferns. "How's that?"

"Can…I…?" Magenta asks, looking around, "it needs more."

"By all means, just tell me when you're done."

Going to the back corner where the off-season decorations are lying in a box, Magenta finds four fuzzy bats on wires left over from Halloween. She smiles at her discovery and brings them to the counter.

The shopkeeper raises her eyebrows at her selection, "Interesting…anything else?"

Magenta looks over various ribbons to finish it off. Completely unexpectedly, she finds a spool that bears her name. Unrolling a length of it, she admires it openly. "This one. It says Magenta!"

"That's the color you want? It doesn't quite match…" she warns.

"It's perfect, it'll say it's from me."

"You could always attach a card."

"Just write 'She would agree.' He'll understand. Can you send it to the hospital, please?"

"Who is this for?"

"Brad Majors."

"I'll have it sent over, he should get it this evening. I'm sure he'll find it…lovely," she adds uncertainly.

With that taken care of, Magenta goes the rest of the way home.

Once she gets to Janet's place, where they had been helping her move out, the others start in immediately—

"Where the devil have you been, Magenta? We thought something happened."

"There vas an accident, Brad vas hurt. He'll be all right, but…" 

"What happened to Brad?" Janet shrieks.

"He's fine, don't vorry."

"I'm calling over there, I need to see him!"

The receptionist answers the phone, "I'm sorry, it doesn't look like Brad wants to see you."

"You mean he's too tired for visitors?"

"He was very specific, I'm sorry."

Janet stammers confusedly, "He…doesn't want to see me?" She sinks down into a chair, dropping the phone. "Well, that's not going to stop me."

After two days of attempting to see Brad and getting sent away without so much as a glimpse of him, Janet is becoming agitated. He's let everyone else in to see him, today Ralph Hapschatt even is allowed in.

"Wow, Brad, you're…you're…"

"I know, Ralph, I've seen it," Brad sighs. "Don't rub it in, huh?"

"Wow, that's too bad. What did Janet think?"

"She hasn't seen, I don't want her to see me like this."

Riff-Raff and Magenta barge in at this point, "It's not going to go away, you know. And neither is she," Riff reminds him sharply.

Brad sits up straighter. "Hey guys. Thanks a lot for the flower arrangement."

Magenta glowers at him, "Did you read the card?"

"Y-yes…"

"Did you _understand_ the message?"

"I did but…"

"Then vhy are you leaving your own vife outside while you let this…_person_ in to visit."

Riff and Magenta scowl at Ralph maliciously, remembering how badly he'd treated their sister. She stands next to the bedside table, twirls one of the bats around in the vase, holding Brad's eye-contact. "She would agree," she affirms.

There is a silent battle of wills, and soon Brad concedes. "Fine, let her in, then you'll see what she thinks."

"It's not that bad," Magenta pronounces firmly.

Riff-Raff goes into the waiting room and gestures for Janet to come in. She stands and stomps in in a huff.

"Brad, what in the world are you thinking, keeping me out like that?!" she shouts. She stares at him, looking him up and down. "Why are you still here? You look fine."

Ralph crosses over to her, in attempt to talk sense to her, "Are you serious? Don't try to spare his feelings, he can handle the hard facts. Face it, he looks like something a mad scientist just brought to life!" Much to his surprise, his assessment of Brad's features is met with shrieks of laughter from every corner of the room. Although they try to suppress their giggles, he can see there's something he's missing. Everyone's looking at Janet now, who's fidgeting guiltily.

"Don't. Say. A word." She commands the others. Brad looks her in the eye, they smirk at each other.

"About the creature, or the mad scientist?" Riff-Raff tactfully supplies.

Brushing their inside jokes aside, Janet sits next to Brad on the bed, smoothing back his hair.

"Janet…if you want a divorce…I'd understand." To clarify, he gestures to his face.

"What's the matter? You look fine."

"Ralph's right for once, don't lie to me."

Janet shakes her head, "I mean it."

"You can't see the scars?"

"I'm not blind, I can see them. So you look a little different…so I look a little different. It doesn't change the way I feel about you. You didn't leave me, I'm not leaving you. That's final."


	16. Jump to the Left

In the words of Graham Chapman, "I'm afraid it's all got silly." There, I admit it. I don't own Rocky Horror, or the X-Files, but I can't be the first depraved authoress who thought of putting the two together!

For the X-Files portion of the chapter, it follows my alternate timeline set in "For Real?" The only change made is that after an undercover mission posing as a married couple, Mulder and Scully get engaged. Cuteness ensues.

Denton OH

9:45 PM EST

March 2, 1976?

Mulder stops the car, he and Scully wear identical expressions of surprise and confusion. Snow is coming down hard all around them.

"You okay?"

Scully nods, "You?" Mulder checks himself over and nods as well. "Did you see that?"

"It wasn't so much that I saw it, it was more of a feeling. Like..."

"Like we passed through something?" Scully suggests. They consider this for a moment and both start at the implications. Immediately, they check their watches. "What time was it, the last you saw?" Scully asks urgently.

"9:43, and that was a little bit ago," he replies. They both let out a sigh of relief with a nervous laugh. Eliminating alien abduction from the list of possibilities, they take stock of the situation.

"Where are we?" Scully asks, opening the glove compartment and unfolding a road map. She digs in her purse, slips on her glasses, and flicks on the overhead light, retracing their steps on the map.

Mulder pauses thoughtfully, remembering the past few days on the road and their general direction. "Hmm, now, if we made that left turn at Albuquerque..."

"Get your directions from Bugs Bunny, Mulder?" she teases, not even looking up. "We should still be somewhere in Ohio. We bypassed Columbus before the storm blew in. Wherever we are, I don't feel safe going much further tonight. Let's just find a motel and see how it looks in the morning."

Mulder puts the car back in drive and they creep forward cautiously. Barely able to see past the hood, and wary of spinouts, both are unnaturally quiet. Within ten minutes, they reach a town. No sign of life is to be seen. Not a single sign is lit, all the houses are dark. To the two FBI agents, this strikes a rather ominous chord, adding to their precarious situation.

Scully suddenly points ahead, "Look, Mulder! There's a light!" He sees it, too. In glaring contrast to the surrounding darkness, one house is entirely lit up.

"Let's hope whoever's home is friendly," Mulder remarks dryly, parking in the street. Scully reaches into the back seat and pulls out an umbrella. Putting it up so they both fit under it, they trudge though the snow up the front walk. Mulder rings the doorbell, his arm tight around his partner/fiancée. A man opens the door, giving the pair an uncertain look.

"Hi. Sorry to bother you so late. I'm Fox Mulder, this is my partner, Dana Scully." Not wanting to admit that he's lost, he alters the story a little off the cuff, "We're having some car trouble out here; could we use your phone?"

The man at the door makes a noise, like he's choking back a laugh. Trying to keep a straight face, he looks from one to the other and opens the door wider. "I think you'd better come inside. My name's Brad Majors, welcome to Denton." He steps aside and they enter. Scully puts down the umbrella and shakes it out and tosses it aside. Again, they hear their host snigger.

"Is something funny?" Scully asks sharply.

"No, it's...nothing. Here, I'll take your coats." They peel off their wet coats and hand them to Brad, who disappears into the laundry room. Another member of the household follows him in, a pale young woman with wild red hair. Mulder and Scully can hear snatches of their conversation.

"Psst, hey, 'Genta, listen to this!" Indistinct whispering is heard, followed by a loud and menacing cackle. "Shhh!"

Mulder brushes his hands through his damp hair. "I wonder what's so funny."

With a slight shiver, Scully agrees, "Yeah, me, too. Trust our luck to end up in a houseful of weirdoes." Their eyes meet, both smirk at the irony of what she'd just said. Both subtly check their weapons and give the place a once-over. All around the room are personal items and pieces of technology that date back at least 25 years ago. Rabbit ears on the TV, a record and 8-track player, wood paneling, no sign of anything more recent than the mid-70s. Tossing away a slide-rule she'd curiously picked up off a desk, Scully sighs, "What kind of a place is this?" As if emphasizing the situation, more laughter is heard in another room. No doubt, someone else was just informed of their mysteriously amusing predicament. Mulder pauses at a corkboard on the wall and stops dead in his tracks. Cautiously, Scully goes to him, and like him, freezes. They both stare at the calendar that's tacked up in front of them.

"Oh, no. No. N-O. I refuse to...Ugh! After everything we just...that's it, I quit! I've had enough!"

"Scully..."

"Mulder, no! This is not possible. That would just be silly!"

"Well, that could explain that weird sensation we got back there."

Scully glowers, rounding on him and pointing accusingly to the calendar, "1976?? That cannot be right! It's imposs...it's..." she trails off, well on the way to a panic attack.

"Scully," he intones calmingly. She shakes her head defiantly, still pointing agape at the calendar. Mulder takes her by the shoulders, whispers, "Dana," and draws his hands down her arms. It's then that Brad returns to the scene

"You guys okay? Make yourselves comfortable. Did you two have a near miss or something?"

"We're fine," Mulder assures him as he and Scully sit on the couch. Practically on top of each other, Brad notices, as if they can't bear to be separated.

"You call this fine?" Scully hisses.

"I'm going to throw your jackets in the dryer as soon as the last load's out. So what do you do? Where are you from?"

"We're, uh, in law enforcement," Scully answers mildly, "In D.C."

"Oh, that's nice. Work together long?"

"About six years," Mulder says, taking Scully's lead on not disclosing much. Brad then spots Scully's ring.

"You're engaged?" She nods, smiling a little. "To him?"

"Well, my choices were either to kill him or marry him. And the morgue was full." She and Mulder smirk at each other, touching hands delicately, while Brad looks noticeably worried. "It's a joke," Scully explains, "Occupational humor. I'm a doctor, too."

"And you deal with...dead people?" Brad asks hesitantly with distaste.

"Oh, yeah," Mulder answers for her with a grin. "She's up to her elbows in corpses some days."

"I don't think I want to know what you get up to your elbows in," she shoots back. Mulder ignores this and turns back to their host.

"So how come this is the only place in town with any lights on?"

"We're the only house in town with a backup generator," Brad answers, hoping they won't ask to see it; it's not exactly an Earth device. They'd salvaged it from the castle recently and managed to integrate it into their house. "The ice took the power lines down and the snow won't let the maintenance people in to repair them."

"So, no phone," Mulder summarizes.

"No, but I figured you'd be better off in here than out there." Behind him, Mulder and Scully see three more people peek out from around a corner, then, as one, they all pull back. Wondering what his unexpected guests were looking at, Brad turns around in his seat. In the shadows, he sees the others hanging back nervously.

"Guys, come on out. It's fine. These people just got lost in the storm so they're waiting it out here. This is Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. They're from the capitol; isn't that interesting?"

Two women and a man cautiously creep out from hiding. Even by 70's standards they're rather oddly dressed, at least the red-haired woman and her male companion. The blonde woman looks a bit closer to fitting in, but all three of them are equally pale as death.

"My wife, Janet; her brother, Rick and sister, Margot," Brad introduces. Mulder and Scully nod in greeting, both of them noticing that 'Rick' and 'Margot' remain awfully close together, his arms tight around his sister, they stare out with a seemingly singular gaze. Janet leaves the protection of her brother and hovers close to Brad.

"So, you said you're with the police? Either of you ever take a bullet?" Brad asks, trying to sound tough.

"Yes, actually," Scully answers, sharing a grin with her fiancé, figuring it would make a good story. His look says he'll go right along with her.

"Really? Someone shot you?!" Janet exclaims.

"He did," Scully clarifies, jerking her head at Mulder.

Brad looks at him in shock, waiting for him to deny it or have it be another one of their morbid jokes. Instead, he nearly gets a confession.

"Well, she started it!"

"I did not! We _both_ know--" and they begin talking over each other confusingly, lightly bickering over who shot who first on the Christmas Eve they'd recently spent in a haunted house. "You shot me, _then_ I shot you." Mulder nods conceding defeat. For all appearances, they'd been arguing over something no more significant than whose turn it was to take out the garbage.

"You're right, you're right," Mulder admits. "Did I ever say sorry for that?"

"No, but you don't have to. You saved my life." For the first time since it had happened, Scully ponders what would have happened if Mulder hadn't broken the illusion, if she'd believed she'd been mortally wounded so absolutely that…no, she stops that train of thought before it gets too weird. She gazes contently at her partner, stroking his hand with a sincere smile.

As if guessing her thoughts, Mulder leans in close, murmuring, "I love you." They share a soft kiss, forgetting for the moment that they're not alone. Scully comes back to her senses first, and breaks the mood by giving him a playful shove

A buzzer sounds in the laundry room, and Brad gets up to throw his unexpected guests' coats in the dryer. An awkward silence has descended upon the remaining occupants of the room; they eye each other uncomfortably. Mulder takes a stab at striking up a conversation with the three siblings.

"So, you guys from around here?"

"Yes!" Janet answers, a little too quickly, "We all are." Taking her cue, her brother and sister not in confirmation, all three look rather alarmed. They hear the dryer start and a few seconds later, Brad returns with something in his hand. Mulder and Scully both recognize their ID wallets that had been in their coat pockets.

"You're…you're…" Brad falters. He flips one open and shows the others. They all draw back, now looking fearfully at their guests. "You're with the FBI?" He hands them their IDs, looking very nervous.

Scully smiles wanly, "We're trying to keep a low profile."

Janet forces a look of transparent nonchalance. "Wow, that's…exciting…isn't it? Around here we hardly even ever see the fire truck. What's you're…uh, field?"

"Paranormal investigations. We call it the X-Files," Mulder explains with a touch of pride in his voice. Scully brings a hand to her forehead, annoyed at her partner's lack of discretion. Trust him to be defiantly blatant when the last thing they needed was to attract attention.

"I feel sick," 'Margot' announces with disgust, dragging her eerily silent brother with her back to their room. He gives them a look of malevolent suspicion before following her.

Scully tries to brush it off, "We tend to have that effect on people."

Mulder grins at Brad and Janet, pointing from one to the other. "Do you believe in extraterrestrials? That they're among us?"

"Yes," they answer strongly in unison, surprising the agents. Janet continues, exchanging a fortifying glance with her husband, "But…I think some don't mean any harm. Some…probably didn't even want to come, but they didn't have a choice. Maybe they had a home and family and a life, and they had to leave to come all the way out here, only to get caught and tortured by a bunch of UFO hunters like you!" She ends with an uncharacteristically vicious note. Even Janet looks surprised by her impassioned outburst. Mulder and Scully flinch, stinging from the sudden accusation. Janet runs off in the direction of her siblings' room, leaving Brad to handle the situation.

"Look, she's…she's…"

"She's absolutely right," Mulder finishes for him. Brad then follows after his distraught wife, perhaps to talk some sense into her. Turning to Scully, he announces matter-of-factly, "I think these people are aliens."

"Oh, God, Mulder! Will you give it a rest? A book falls off a shelf, you say it's aliens, you lose your ID, it's aliens, that time we went though a whole can of air freshener in one day, you said that was aliens too! That woman could've been spoon-feeding you some story because she thought it was what you wanted to hear. Or maybe she was trying to out-weird you; an ambitious pursuit, I grant you. On a scale of one to ten, I'd give her about a seven. Let's just try not to freak them out any more than we already have. I don't see why you have to make a bad situation worse."

"By that, do you mean the snowstorm or the time-travel?"

"Arg! The first time we teamed up together we lost nine lousy minutes and you got all worked up. Now it's twenty-three years and you hardly blink!"

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now, and I've done…research," Mulder tries for her confidence.

"Meaning you've seen Back to the Future and Bill & Ted," Scully growls.

"I'm sure we can come up with something to get us home. Trust me."

"Hate to break it to you, Mulder, but our TARDIS is currently a snow bank," she sighs impatiently, getting a surprised look from her partner.

"I think my lady doth protesteth too much. Might you be a closet Doctor Who fan?" Mulder asks teasingly.

Scully heaves another theatrical sigh, confessing, "My brothers used to watch. I picked up a season or two in med school; it was the only thing on when I was up late studying."

"Tom Baker, right? The fourth one," Mulder deduces after a swift bout of mental arithmetic.

"Fourth Doc," she admits with a nostalgic smile, "I used to think he was so rad."

Mulder laughs, "You said 'rad'??"

"Back then I did. So did you, I'm guessing."

"Okay, okay, you got me. That reminds me, we'd better downshift into 70's talk if we're going to fit in around here. Don't let them see your cell phone or any other future technology, and watch what you say. Temporal Prime Directive."

Scully nods somberly, "I'm embarrassed that I even know what that means. This is great: stranded in the disco era, in a house inhabited by people you think are aliens! What's next, shrink rays?"

Mulder strokes her hand between his. "If it comes to that, I can make you a nice little house out a shoebox."

Janet chooses that moment to return to the living room, she definitely looks calmer. Clasping her hands in front of her, she casts an apologetic look to both of them. "Please don't tell anyone what I said. I don't even know you, for all I know your methods are humane. I'm sorry."

Mulder stands and approaches her, hoping to find out more. "Want to talk about it? Why you have it in for 'UFO hunters'?" When Janet hesitates, not wanting to say more, Scully intervenes.

"Could you at least tell us why our being stranded here is so funny?"

Janet cracks an embarrassed smile, "It happened to Brad and me a few months ago, the day we got engaged. It's a long story, you wouldn't believe half of what happened that night."

"I bet," Scully agrees in an undertone, sharing a glance with Mulder. Their meaningful eye-contact reminds Janet of her brother and sister, how they rarely speak to each other simply because they rarely need to.

"Well, it doesn't look like the storm's letting up," Janet notes. "I think it would be safest for you to stay for the night and make a fresh start in the morning. The couch is one of those new hide-a-beds, so you should be comfortable."

"Can I ask you something?" Mulder asks, "Has anything…weird ever happened around here? Just before we landed in here, we encountered…something. Have there been any rumors or anything…some unexplained phenomena?"

Janet fidgets nervously, unsure what qualifies as "weird" that she would be free to mention without attracting unwanted attention. She shrugs vaguely with a weak giggle, hoping that will suffice. Obviously not: Mulder looks over at his partner, his expression suspicious. Scully catches that look in his eye and raises her eyebrows at him in response. She, too, gets the distinct feeling that Janet is opting to lie by omission, and is curious what she could be hiding.

"Look, you're not fooling anyone. Is there something you can tell us?" Scully presses firmly.

Janet looks trapped, looking back in the direction of her bedroom, then back at her guests. She shakes her head, backing into the kitchen. Exchanging another look with his partner, Mulder follows Janet up to the kitchen sink, where she's nervously putting things away. As he draws closer, she fumbles with a knife, grazing her fingers enough to draw blood. His eyes grow wide and he jumps away on reflex. But her blood isn't red, nor is it the acidic green of the aliens he'd previously encountered. Droplets of pale, shimmering violet land on the linoleum floor. Alien and UFO hunter stare at each other, now fully recognizing each other for what they are. Grabbing a towel to staunch the flow of her incriminating blood, Janet never takes her eyes off of Mulder for an instant.

"Please…I haven't done anything," she whispers weakly as memories of her previous encounter with a "UFO hunter" flood to the surface. That cell, the cold bright light, the experiments…she wasn't going to let that happen again.

Slowly, Mulder steps forward, approaching with his hands out. When Janet decides he's gotten too close, she closes her eyes and deals him a dose of her pheromones. Everyone from Transexual, Transylvania is irresistible to Earthlings, and Mulder falls easy prey. However, she doesn't want to seduce him, just distract him. As he submits to her "old world charm", she gently guides him back into the living room and towards his partner. Figuring they'd keep each other busy long enough to sneak away, Janet tiptoes out and back to the bedroom to plan their next move.

Scully doesn't need to rely on her medical background to know that something is wrong. Mulder's eyes are glazed, he staggers towards her and she catches him before he trips over his own feet. After helping him sit on the couch, he pulls her into a sudden embrace, nuzzling into her neck. Drawing a sharp gasp of surprise, she goes momentarily limp in his arms, unable to resist.

"Mmm…don't…stop. _Don't_ stop," she sighs. Too many times has she fantasized about this, it seems unfair that she has to put a stop to it now. Finally, she bites the bullet, and shoves him away with her legs.

"Scully…"

She looks up and sees Mulder shaking his head to clear it, looking like he'd just come out of a trance. Figuring he doesn't know what hit him any more than she does, she just pats his shoulder and says mildly, "Not now."

They stand and pull out the sofa-bed, they get as comfortable as they can and turn off the lights. Once they lay down, they cuddle together in the middle, drawn together by an attraction that has nothing to do with any alien mind-control parlor tricks their hosts might specialize in.

So attentive are they to each other that they don't realize they are not alone in the room. The lights are out, and the curtains are drawn, so not even a stray sliver of moonlight betrays the presence of a pale young woman with red hair, who holds a three-pronged laser gun close in a steady hand. Her sharp nocturnal eyes take in everything; she was bred to have no use for all this light the Earthlings seem to crave. She waits for the right moment, still and silent. Ordinarily, she abhorred killing as a horrible waste, only to be used as a last resort, but these two newcomers have made themselves known as mortal enemies. If they wanted to call themselves "paranormal investigators", let them. She knows what their kind are. Heartless, soulless, monsters in human form; she would never forgive "their kind" for what they did to her mother, her sister… She watches them curiously, before dealing the blow that would silence them forever.

XXX

"Get some rest, Scully, I'll keep watch."

"What, you're not sleeping?"

"Something tells me we're not entirely welcome here, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Sleep if you can; don't worry, I'll take care of us."

His tone of old-world chivalry brings a smile to Scully's face. She scoots in closer, if such a thing is possible, and lays her head against his shoulder. He gently touches her face, tracing the curve of her cheek and lips. They share a languid, lingering kiss, drawing it out reverently, savoring the moment as long as they can. They separate and sigh in unison, so accustomed are they to each other that they even breathe together.

"Why did it take so long for us to get to this point, Mulder?"

"Why? When did you first feel this way?"

Suppressing a laugh, she replies, "You're getting _Sound of Music_, it's not your usual playing field."

"So you'd rather _Empire Strikes Back_: 'I love you/I know'."

"Yeah…that sounds good. I've worked with you, fought with you, died with you…maybe that's why it's not hard for me to believe we're getting married. I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with."

"Shh…get some sleep, if these people really are aliens, I can handle them. I won't let you get taken again." He assures her, punctuating his remark by stroking the back of her neck and kissing her forehead.

XXX

In the hall, Magenta had heard everything, seen everything, and is now having second thoughts on her assignment. Maybe they'd judged them too harshly; they were never given the chance to explain themselves. In fact, nobody bothered to explain themselves tonight. They were all afraid of each other; this thought nearly makes her let out an ironic laugh. So she'd been taken, too? No wonder the male was so edgy; of course he'd want to protect his female. Lowering her weapon with a self-disgusted snarl on her face, Magenta stalks back to her room.

"Is it done?" Riff-Raff asks.

Shaking her head defeatedly, she looks at him, silently begging forgiveness. "I couldn't kill them, I hate killing. They haven't done anything to us. You should have heard them, they're not that different from us."

"They were asking questions about extraterrestrials, they're here to capture us!"

"No, brother, I don't think so. The female doesn't even seem to suspect vhat ve are. If she's an alien hunter, she's a very poor one. I don't think she believes we exist. Not all humans are enemies, Riff. You didn't trust Brad at first, remember? He has been an asset in protecting us, our lives are considerably improved from vhat they vould have been."

"So, you just want me to let them stay here tonight, let them go on their merry way tomorrow, and trust that they won't send for backup?"

"If ve killed them and they failed to report to…vherever it is they're going, they'd send people looking for them anyvay," she reminds him practically.

"Fine," he grumbles in agreement, "the things I do for you."

XXX

True to his word, Mulder sits up on guard duty—no easy task while watching someone sleep, he's resorted to pinching himself to keep from drifting off. He looks down again and sees that Scully has woken up, and is giving him a strange look.

"Wow, you weren't kidding. Guess this means I get the first drive in the morning."

"And if we can get back to the right year, that would be great, too. What woke you up?"

Sliding out of bed, she answers, "Gotta go."

"Go where? Oh. Think you can find it?"

"Yeah, I'll be right back."

Feeling her way down the hall, she finds the bathroom. Afterwards, she pauses at the door, certain she hears voices nearby. She checks her watch: it's two in the morning, who would still be up, apart from Mulder, she wonders. Quietly, she sneaks out into the hall and sees a light under one of the doors.

"…makes me sick to think of having them in the house, but what choice did we have? If this gets us in trouble, it'll be all my fault," Brad mutters. From the shifting quality of his voice, it sounds like he's pacing.

"It might work out," Janet hopes, "I gave the man a dose of…well, you know. _I_ didn't do anything with him, I left him with his girlfriend, they probably got it out of his system together. It didn't sound like it, but maybe they're just quiet. It's possible that it was enough to make him forget what he saw."

"He saw your blood, Janet! And the other one's a doctor, one look at it and she'd know you're not human. God, how is this going to look??"

"You can always say we kept you around with mind-control. That way you can avoid getting in trouble anyway."

"Avoid…Janet, whatever happened to us all sticking together?" he sighs, pacing again. "Magenta calls me her brother, even Riff says I'm part of the family, and he's not an easy guy to win over, let me tell you. I'm not abandoning ship just because the Feds blew in. I'll say I'm one of you. I'll swear it up and down in a court of law."

"Brad, you couldn't fool them for long. You have human blood, you're an Earthling. You'd never pass for someone from my planet."

"Maybe not pure-blooded…but maybe…If we mingled our blood together, it would show up, temporarily anyway, that I have alien DNA in me. Right?"

"Brad…"

"I'm not letting us get separated. If we all get carted off to some lab, I'm not going to be standing on the other side of the glass looking in at you three. I'm not one of _them_ anymore, I'm one of you. In all ways but one."

"Oh, Brad," Janet sighs. "I don't want you to get into trouble, getting mixed up with us, but…I'd be less afraid if I had you with me."

Scully puts her hand over her mouth and backs away, back into the living room where her partner is falling into a doze sitting up. She plops down beside him and shakes his shoulder.

"Mulder…Mulder wake up."

"Humm? Wasn't sleeping…"

"Look, I don't care if you were, just listen!" She hisses, patting his face, and turning it towards her.

"Sure, what?"

"Mulder…these people are aliens!"

Hearing her say these words makes him smile smugly. "Now, Scully, don't be silly. Whatever gave you that far-fetched idea?" Mulder yawns.

Knowing full well she deserves an 'I told you so', she lets his sarcasm slide. "I heard them talking, something about their blood…"

"Yeah, it's purple. Doesn't melt stuff, either," Mulder groggily remembers.

"You saw it?"

"The blonde one, she…cut herself…didn't want me to see…then I don't know what came over me, suddenly I felt all sexy…"

"I remember that part."

"Hey, maybe they can help us get back to 1999. Maybe it was something of theirs that brought us here in the first place."

"And if not, what are our alternatives?" Scully poses.

"There's the old 'slingshot around the sun', which is out because we don't have a spaceship. Maybe they do though. Standard temporal anomaly or vortex, but what are the odds of finding one that will drop us into the right time?"

"Have you tried clicking your heels together three times?"

"Hey, you're the reformed Whovian; I don't hear you shouting out any ideas."

"I can't believe we're having this conversation."

"'Mulder, these people are aliens!'" he mimics in a falsetto. "Your gullibility meter just went up a few notches. One more and you'll either go hunting for yeti with me or become a Cubs fan."

"A bolt of lightning," she suggests lamely.

"No flux capacitor."

"Damn. What else…What am I saying? Time travel is impossible!"

"Maybe you'd get better calculations with that slide-rule over there. Here's the kicker, it looks new."

Scully groans and covers her face. "I can't think, I'm too tired. Maybe it'll make more sense in the morning."

"Good idea."

"You get some sleep, too. In the morning, we'll just explain that we're not here on a bag-and-tag mission, and maybe they'll help us out. Now lay back down and warm up the covers, it's cold," she orders, which Mulder is all too happy to obey.

Both of them awaken early the next morning, it takes them each a moment to remember where—and when—they are.

"I feel sick," Scully groans.

"Could be temporal displacement. I bet it doesn't agree with everyone."

"Oh, shut up," she snaps, holding her head.

Mulder helps her out of bed and he folds it back into the couch. By now the others are up as well, and they all pause awkwardly, silently regarding each other. Janet stands between her brother and her husband, Magenta lurks in the back, screened from view by her protectors.

Jerking his head toward Janet, Riff-Raff announces bluntly, "She was taken, years ago. Experimented on"

Not missing a beat, as though this had all been rehearsed, Scully steps forward, "So was I. And his sister," she adds, gesturing to her partner.

Mulder flinches, but needs to have his say. "We all have a valid reason to hate each other on principle. Looks like we've…all seen the worst we can do to each other." He looks at Janet, "I'm sorry for whatever happened to you, but my partner and I didn't have anything to do with it. That's not our job."

Brad speaks out, "You said that she 'is up to her elbows in corpses' some days."

"Humans, from crime scenes. She's a forensic surgeon, she doesn't do alien autopsies," Mulder explains.

"Until last night, I'd never even really seen one." She stops to look at them, the scientist in her begins to wonder what makes them different. Biology was one of her first loves, her natural curiosity about how the human body works had led her to her current field. And now, she is presented with an entirely new life form. Aware that it would ruin any hope of goodwill between their races, but sorely tempted, she fights down the urge to examine them further. Mulder sees her reaction to them with understanding and pity, he knows just what she's thinking of. He leans in close to her and whispers "It's not fair, is it?" Any assurance that she wouldn't violate or torture her subjects would sound hollow. Once again, she is asked to step back, to obey without understanding.

With a heavy sigh, she pushes these ideas from her mind. Instead, she beseeches them: "Do any of you know a way…to travel to a specific point in time?"

Magenta brightens at this, steps forward to speak, but is suppressed by her brother.

"Shh! You want to give _more_ away?"

Mulder tries her again, "Please, it's very important. We're not from here. We're not even from _now_. We need to get back or who knows what could happen?! Look, we're giving you our word that we won't say anything about you guys being here. If you can help us get back…at least try."

Magenta pushes past her brother and speaks freely, "The Sonic Transducer, at the…well, it's not here, but if one of us—"

"You mean, that thing that stuck us all to the floor that time?" Brad asks.

"Yes, yes, that's the one." Riff-Raff answers impatiently.

"Oops."

All three aliens now turn on him with venomous expressions. "Brad…what's 'oops'?" Janet questions.

"Well, you know when we drove out there yesterday, to get the generator? I…"

"Oh, gods, you brought them here?! Great, just great," Riff snarls. "You drive, you two follow. But you'd better be true to your word. This never happened."

"If this works, look us up sometime,"

Brad and Janet cross past them, their arms around each other. Janet leans in and whispers to Scully, "Just so you know, you got off light. You wouldn't_ believe_ what happened when it was us. Right, Brad?"

Her husband makes no remark, but clears his throat significantly as they leave. Janet looks Mulder up and down with a grin, "He would've looked great in fishnets!"

They hop into their car and wait for the two FBI agents to sweep theirs off, and to wonder exactly what they'd narrowly escaped.


	17. The End

**This is it, readers! Thanks for all of your kind reviews over the past two years, it's been quite a ride! Finishing this made me want to go running through town shouting "Happy Halloween!" in a very Jimmy Stewart kind of way ******** I hope you enjoy it, this has been a very special fic for me to write and I'm so happy to have been able to share it.**

**Rocky Horror was created by Richard O'Brien and is owned by 20****th**** Century Fox. If he doesn't like what I did to it, he can take his remarks directly to me. Hey, even if he said "Wow, you suck", at least he'd have said "Wow"!**

**Don't Dream it, Be it**

**All my love,**

**Katie "Doec"**

Months pass, and the day they knew was coming has finally arrived. Final boarding on the last ship bound for Transexual, Transylvania. Riff-Raff and Magenta receive the news with jubilation. "At long last, we can return home! Sweet Transexual, Land of Night!" Magenta croons as her brother twirls her across the living room floor.

"Our child shall be raised among his own kind, not those that would despise him as an alien being." Riff-Raff adds his voice of relief. Only Brad and Janet seem unsure how to take the news.

"They won't allow people of Earth on the ship. Not even my mother can return, she was given the same genetic alterations as I was, but her true DNA was never resurfaced," Janet laments with a meaningful look at her husband. "She says she doesn't wish to return. Too many sad memories. My real father, the war, it would be too hard to go back." Brad puts a hand around her shoulders and pulls her close.

"Next time they schedule an alien abduction…look me up," he says with half a smile, a crude attempt to inject humor into the situation. Instead, Janet pouts as tears threaten to give way, and she turns to face him, pressing herself into his arms.

"There's going to be a send-off, out by the castle. Sort of a bon voyage party with those that are staying behind. I have to go, it's now or never. If I ever want to know my true home, I have to go now," Janet moans into his chest. Brad strokes her hair, cursing whatever fates had led them to knowing Janet's true nature. If they had never found out, they wouldn't be in this mess. They might've have gone to see Riff-Raff and Magenta off, said their goodbyes and walked away from it. End of story. Now, everything was changed. Now he had to be the one seeing his wife and unborn daughter off onto the spaceship, off to some unknown galaxy, never to see them again. Dammit! Just when things seemed perfect, or as close to perfect as he could readily imagine, he was asked to stand aside and allow his family to be taken from him. He'd stay in touch with Mrs. Weiss; God knows they'd both need the support. If only there was another way.

The ship was scheduled to take off at midnight. Brad thought that seemed fitting: the first time he and Janet had laid eyes on Riff and Magenta the clock was striking midnight. What he wouldn't give to go through a real Time Warp and stop this from happening. Jump to the left, step to the right, and make everything the way it should be. But what if this _was_ the way it should be? He slouches against the hallway wall with a hopeless sigh. The girls had already gone to the site; he'd gotten a glimpse of them on their way out, dressed in their Transylvanian best. As long as he lived Brad knew he'd never forget how Janet looked that night: a floating white barely-knee-length skirt over a jade-green half-slip and matching garter-belt, green platform heels, and black knee-high stockings, a form-fitting white halter, and her hair… her golden curls were sprinkled with pink and silver glitter and tied up in a beehive. Brad thought at that moment he'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life. She looked like an angel, a Transylvanian angel, he thought with a smile. Riff-Raff joins Brad in the hall just after the girls leave, and takes note of the other man's expression. Brad turns to him and says "I wish I was going with her. I'd…give anything to go, too."

"You humans really are stupid, aren't you?" Riff sneers. "Honestly, don't you remember _anything _important? There is a way, but there's no going back."

Brad starts, almost trips. "You mean…? With the…? I'd completely forgotten…of course! Does Janet…?"

Riff paces coolly, "I'm sure she's just as forgetful of the matter as you are. Doubtless, she would have otherwise suggested it, or at least brought it up. Are you certain you wish to go through with it?"

"I already said I'd do anything to stay with her. Hell, I'd follow her anywhere!" By now Brad is pacing too, but with great determination and energy. "I love her, and whatever it takes to stay with her I'm willing to do." He stops short. "Does it hurt?"

"It depends," Riff shrugs, "You remember that when Janet's DNA was returned to its original pattern, restoring who she really was, it was a difficult transition. There are too many variables to predict your reaction, though. You were born a human; you're also the male of the species. These factors alone make it difficult to judge. If you want to do it, now's the time."

"Fire away," Brad nods.

At the party, Janet and Magenta are mingling around, though Magenta can sense her sister's lack of enthusiasm. "You should be happy," she coaxes, "You'll soon forget all this, and Majors. It all served its purpose, but now ve must return home."

"You may be right about some things, but I'll never forget Brad," Janet asserts, stroking her stomach, "And don't pretend that you don't care. You'll miss him, too. Part of him will be with me, anyway." She disengages herself from her companion and wanders up to the steps of the castle. That fateful night that changed everything. Brad proposing, their strange night at Frank's castle, and everything that happened after. She was amazed that their relationship had survived their moments of infidelity…with the same man, no less! She'd added insult to injury and turned to Frank's creation as a means of revenge, making it even more surprising that Brad could take her back so willingly. They loved each other, though. And when you love someone, you can forgive even the worst mistakes.

Somewhere, perhaps inside the castle, a clock started to chime eleven. People were starting to board the ship. Since there were close to a hundred people, they had to start early. Janet combed the crowd, searching for Brad. Riff-Raff she could see, he was with Magenta now, and Janet felt a twinge of jealousy. Maybe Brad wasn't coming after all, she'd leave him forever without getting to say goodbye.

She finds herself getting herded onto the ship. Two security guards scan her, verifying that she is one of them, and she is allowed on board. She finds a seat near the back, next to a window. Just in case Brad would arrive at the last minute, she would at least see him one last time. In her peripheral vision, Janet sees someone take the seat next to her, and she is instantly annoyed. She turns to face the intruder with an icy expression. He's sporting a black tuxedo, lavishly decorated with red sequins. His hair is slicked back with copious amounts of styling gel, and he's wearing sunglasses, but she can tell his hair and eyes have been treated with lashings of scarlet as well. He flashes her a grin and starts to speak.

"Excited?" he asks.

"Not really."

"Why not? You're going home."

"I suppose. I can tell you are, though." She adds coldly, hoping he'll get the hint and shut up.

"Honestly, I have never been happier in my life."

Janet quirks an eyebrow at the stranger, there's something familiar in his voice, but it's difficult to place. "Well, at least that makes one of us." Suddenly admitting it causes an unexpected overflowing of tears. "I h-happen to be l-leaving behind…s-s-someone who…Forget it, you couldn't understand, no one would."

"Tears? For a human? An Earthling?" The stranger asks, his questions seem to be mocking Janet's despair.

"Yes, tears, for an Earthling!" She snaps. "So what if he's a human? I love him. And he loved me, and what the hell am I doing on this ship??"

"If you missed this chance, you'd regret it forever," he reminds her. If only she could place his voice. It sounds so soothing now, safe and familiar.

"I know," she sniffs, "I just wish he…c-could have come, too." They're both silenced as the ship hums to life and begins taking off. Janet sobs as though her heart was being torn out; keenly aware of the growing distance between herself and the planet she'd called home for her entire adult life. The life she is leaving behind.

As the ship kicks into a steady cruise, the man moves to put an arm around Janet, who feels a soft purr rise in her chest, startling her. "It's all right. Everything is all right." He clumsily removes his sunglasses just as Janet looks back up at him. Her eyes go wide and she looks him up and down. "Brad…" she whispers, "It's really you! How…? They scanned me, they scanned everybody!"

"Me, too. I'm a…I'm…one of you now. Riff zapped me just before we came. I figured, if you couldn't stay, I'm coming with you. The four of us have to stick together, remember?"

"I didn't recognize you, why didn't you tell me?"

"I was hoping for a big reaction."

Neither can resist the curiosity anymore and they look out the window at the numerous stars and planets they're sailing by. "Are you sure about this, Brad?"

"Without you, Earth would have seemed completely lifeless. There's nothing for me there without you. I'm an orphan, remember? What am I leaving behind that's so binding? I'd follow you anywhere, you know that."

Janet looks him over again, now with a look of anticipation. "I wonder…what all has changed already."

"I was thinking the same thing," Brad leans in and murmurs tauntingly, "There might be a surprise or two in store," he laughs, Janet giggles with him at the thought. Every minute they grow closer to their new home, and their new lives together. Life promises to be anything but ordinary.


End file.
